Cells
by RUMad
Summary: Idea by Wheelie91. Something tragic happened to Rachel just before she turned 21. It made her turn her life upside down, and pursue a different career, with the NYPD. With the determination of Broadway focused on her new path, it's no surprise she excelled. What is a surprise? Santana Lopez tagged along for the ride. What could happen next? A Glee/L&O: SVU fic. Faberry, Brittana
1. New Beginnings

**Technically this is a cross over, but no one will find it if I put it in the cross over section. It's focused more heavily on the Glee characters anyway.**

**Also this fic kind of bends time, it's roughly the end of SE12 for Law & Order: SVU, and future fic in the Glee verse, with a few changes here and there, but it shouldn't be hard to follow... we'll see :/**

**Anyway, here we go:**

**Posted: 7/10/13**

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Prologue: New Beginnings Born from Tragic Events

A 21 year old, Santana Lopez, was woken by some distant, muffled, noises. Her eyes opened in the dark and all she found was the back of her girlfriends head. She ignored the noise, rather than go out there and berate which ever neighbour was up at... she looked back over her shoulder, having to peel away from the other body in the bed, so she could see the alarm clock. The orange numbers burning into her retinas told her it was past 2 in the morning.

Anyway, she decided to ignore the noises and go back to sleep. She cuddled up against her girlfriend again and tried to get back to sleep... but the noises weren't subsiding... they were getting louder; there was a dull thud, then some other noise... It sounded like a grunt, like someone was struggling, or doing something they shouldn't be doing, in the corridor.

Her need to know things got the better of her; she peeled herself away from her girlfriend, and slipped out from under the sheet. She slipped jeans on over her pyjama pants, and a hooded sweatshirt over her vest top, as she left the bedroom. She then crossed the short apartment space to get to the front door.

It was funny how life worked out, some of it great, some of it just plain surprising, and some of it a little disappointing. Yeah, Brittany had graduated with her and they were now living in New York City together, and it had been weird when Brittany had been the one to find an affordable apartment for them both. And that had been less weird when it turned out to be right next door to Kurt and Rachel's place, one of them might have told the blonde about the availability all those years ago. The disappointment? That wasn't what Santana felt, more like what her parents might have felt for her. She gave up on college only a few months in, it just wasn't for her, so here she was, a couple years later, neighbours to two NYADA students, girlfriend to a NYU student, and working days as a gym receptionist, and some nights as some bartender at a gay bar. Brittany had got her the job, and who was she to say no to Brittany.

When she got to the door, she realised she couldn't hear any noise from the other side of the door, she thought about just going back to the warmth and comfort of her bed when curiosity got the better of her. She unlocked the door and stepped outside, she looked one way: nothing. She looked the other way-

She found Rachel sat on the floor, outside her apartment door, her clothes dishevelled, her head down; she looked like she's just past out. At first, as Santana closed in, it looked like Rachel had been partying hard, which was weird enough. But then she remembered, many hours ago Rachel had gone to the train station with Quinn, to send her on her way back to Connecticut

She just screwed up her face, eyes narrowed, brow furrowed "Berry, what the hell are you-" and then she noticed the rip on the sweater, and the bruising under her eye "oh shit. What happened?" she rushed to Rachel's side and propped her up, so she wasn't slouched against the wall.

"Santana?" the girl murmured, she was disorientated, and confused. She raised her head, sleepily, unintentionally giving the Latina a better look at her bruised eye.

The girl just cringed at the sight, someone had really done a number on her face, she had a split lip too "Yeah, Berry. What happened to you?" she asked as she tried to keep Rachel propped up. She didn't like the fact she was doing this, but she put an arm round her too, to support the girl

"I, I..." she struggled as she searched her mind. Santana didn't think she'd ever seen Rachel this vulnerable. Even when the girl was covered in slushy she never let anyone see how vulnerable she really felt.

"Tell me, were you mugged?" Santana tried to prompt more words from the vulnerable looking girl.

"N-no... I think-" a few tears escaped Rachel's tired eyes, on one side of her face the tears ran over the fresh purple bruise, around the eye "I think... I-I was raped"

Santana's eyes widened "Holy shit" she breathed. She looked up and down the hallway, it was empty. She thought it was best, for Rachel's sake, to move her before anyone else saw her... especially Brittany "Can you move?"

She shuffled in place "Yeah"

"Come on, lets get you inside" she spotted Rachel's purse, on the floor. Rachel had been resting on it. She kept one hand on Rachel's side as she bent down to retrieve it. She unlatched it, noting it looked like everything was probably all there, and took out Rachel's apartment keys, so she could unlock the door. Once they were inside, Santana flipped the light switch, brightening the still apartment. She led Rachel to the small kitchen table, by the kitchen corner and sat her down "Are you sure you were raped?"

"Yes" she paused in thought for a moment, like she was still getting her bearings. She swallowed thickly, tears grouping in her eyes, her hands trembling, before she managed to say "...My underwear... I'm not wearing any"

"But you were when you left?" Santana asked, thinking that was a seemingly normal question

Rachel tried to snap, but her voice just broke "Obviously" she propped her arm up on her elbow, on the table and tried to hide, almost, behind her hand.

"Okay, I was just asking" she rolled her eyes, as she backed off. What? She was still Santana Lopez, and _that_ was still Rachel Berry, she couldn't let herself get soft. She'd get the cops and then it wouldn't be her problem anymore "I'm calling the cops-"

"Please don't" Rachel grabbed her wrist before she could walk too far away.

"What? You're joking right" she ripped her arm away, at first with disgust for being touched, but then guilt, when she saw Rachel's, bruised and battered, face looking at her, all vulnerable like that. She dropped to a knee in front of the trembling girl "you were... god Rach, you-... you could have been killed"

She chocked as a sob escaped her mouth, like vomit "I wish they had-"

"Don't say that" she didn't like to think of anyone really thinking like that, despite her bitchy actions in high school "Come on, let me call the cops" that time, she might not have meant it just for her own selfish reasons.

"Please Santana" Rachel cringed; she couldn't have that, she just wanted to shower, and shower, and shower some more, in scolding water, to erase what had happened.

Santana shook her head; she wouldn't wish this on her worst enemy "No-"

"They'll send me to the hospital, and the nurses and doctors will touch me" her chocolate, teary, eyes begged Santana "and I just can't take that right now" she breathed

"But they're looking for DNA and stuff, it's important so they can get the bastard that did this to you" Santana tried to reason. Her eyes trailed over the fresh bruise, as she wondered just how bad it was. The skin wasn't broken round the eye, only the lip, but she couldn't be sure how dark that bruise would grow.

"I-I'll do it myself" Rachel decided, as defiantly as her weak state could.

"No" Santana said bluntly, that wasn't professional, and kind of really gross too.

"I know what they do, they take photos and... samples" she watched as Rachel shivered a little harder at that idea "and then they'll question me while I sit there. I'll get what I can myself, and I'll take it to the police in the morning"

"Really?" Santana grimaced, the whole idea was horrible, and Santana would prefer Rachel was seen by a doctor, but she couldn't force Rachel to do something she didn't want to do, especially in this situation. It wasn't Santana's choice, it was Rachel's.

"I- yeah. I can't" Rachel chocked out another sob as her head bowed lower down, making her hair sweep across her face "I just can't be dealing with... people right now. I want a shower and..." she peeked up, carefully brushing her hair to the side.

"Okay" she conceded, after contemplating the whole thing. She'd put herself in Rachel's position and tried to imagine what she must be feeling in this moment "You should write down what you remember too... it might not be the same story in the morning"

"Right" Rachel sniffed "...Will you help me" she saw Santana cringe, so she rushed to correct the ideas in the other girls head "Not in that area, just... if I describe will you write?" she asked meekly, and so quietly that Santana really had to focus her ears

"You don't mind telling me?" she furrowed her brow. Rachel didn't want to speak to the police, so it surprised Santana that she'd want to tell her instead

"You can't repeat it to anyone, I just... I don't think I'll be able to write it" the way she was trembling should have been enough reason why she felt she couldn't write right now

"I won't tell anyone" Santana promised her "... just calm down a second" she tried to hush, she couldn't have Rachel getting worked up too much right now, especially before they'd even started trying to make sense of this mess.

"And will you help me with pictures... I know I can get most, but could you help me with some of my back"

She carefully took Rachel's hand, noting the bruising to the wrist. The Latina could see how fingers had wrapped round Rachel's arm and squeezed tight, bruising her, but she couldn't be sure, she wasn't an expert "Rach... wouldn't it be easier to just go to the hospital" she checked one more time.

"No! I don't want them touching me" at Rachel's sudden abruptness, as well as the words themselves, Santana was pulling her hand away from the other girl "Sorry" Rachel muttered guiltily.

"Its fine" she backed away again, and found another chair "You're willing to tell me what happened?"

"I'm desperate" Rachel breathed, head still down. Santana couldn't imagine Rachel could tell her what happened if she couldn't even make eye contact with her.

But what other choices did they have right now, Santana still felt it was best to record what Rachel could remember right now, in case there were gaps later. And if there were gaps now, maybe they could fill them out in the morning "Okay..." she gave in, really gave in, not just verbally. She decided it was all or nothing and even if Rachel didn't want it, she needed her right now "Let's get the photos"

"And... the evidence" Rachel mumbled, more than reluctantly.

Santana paused, before she'd even moved to find Rachel's camera "Did he..." she just grimaced, while Rachel cautiously looked to her "in you?" she could only ask suggestively. If they weren't in this situation she would have been less vague, more vulgar.

"I don't know" Rachel could only mumble, what happened wasn't that clear. She was sure it all happened though.

Santana swallowed thickly "Okay" she patted Rachel's hand again and then headed straight for the front door

"Where are you going?" Rachel's voice cracked and squeaked as she just watched Santana walk away. She'd easily admit that Santana was the last person she expected to help her. That didn't mean she didn't want Santana's support, though.

"Lock the door, I've got your spare key with me so I can let myself back in" Kurt and Rachel had given the spare key to their neighbours and vice versa shortly after they'd moved in, over three years ago. "I need to get something..." she halted at the front door and looked back over her shoulder at the vulnerable young woman "just in case"

"What?" Rachel furrowed her brow.

"Um... a morning after pill" And if it was possible, she planned to get any kind of mild antibiotic, or anything like that, just in case. "I know your beliefs and stuff, but this is different" she reasoned. She couldn't imagine Rachel going through a pregnancy as well.

"Yeah I know..." she agreed, thinking the same thing "I couldn't have- I couldn't" she shook her head, unable to say it.

"Okay, lock the door behind me, do what you can without me, when I get back I'll help you if you need it, then you can shower" "And then we'll write everything down" she opened the door, waiting for a verbal response.

"O-Okay" Rachel nodded slightly.

Rachel hadn't moved, it was heartbreaking, even for someone like Santana. "Rachel... it's gonna be okay" she didn't know what else to say. She just saw Rachel nod some more before she pulled the door shut behind her.

In the solitude of the hallway she had space to breath. She leant against the door and just relaxed, which was a bad idea because as soon as she did all the fear of what happened to Rachel got to her, and she didn't even know exactly what happened yet.

She was startled from her state when she heard another door open. She looked left in time to see Brittany creeping outside "San? What's going on?"

"Nothing babe" she smiled as she ushered Brittany back into their own apartment so she could grab her purse and go to the drug store.

"But you weren't here when I woke up" she whined and pouted, making herself sound innocently vulnerable. Any other time it would have had Santana softening, but right now all she saw was another vulnerable young woman... what if it had happened to Brittany "Is something wrong?" the blue eyed blonde asked again.

"Berry's sick, and she's alone so I was helping her"

"Really?" Brittany wasn't that dumb; even if Rachel was sick she wasn't likely to help her.

"Well it's pretty bad" she had to put distance between her and Brittan, afraid she'd see the lies and fear in her eyes "I need to go get her some medicine, I'll be back when I can"

"I could go keep her company" Brittany suggested, sounding far too awake for this time of night... or morning.

Santana turned round swiftly, finding Brittany standing right in front of her again "No, um, she's really sick, I don't want you to catch it too"

"Then what about you, you could get sick too"

"No, I don't get sick remember, my dad's a doctor" Santana explained, half heartedly. She meant that her dad had made sure she was fully vaccine as a child and on top of that he'd bought home every common illness there was. She had gotten sick so often, she was sure she became immune, to most things, in the end.

"Oh right" and Santana didn't think Brittany really understood her lame excuse either, but it was far into the night and she had classes in the morning, so she wanted her sleep "Tell Rachel to get better soon, I'll check in when she's a little better"

"I'm sure she'd like that" she kissed her girlfriend on the cheek and quickly left, before she could leave Brittany any more suspicious. "I'm sure she'd like that?" Santana repeated to herself "Way to sound normal Santana" she muttered as she hurried down the stairs, and out into the dark streets, to find an open pharmacy.

...

When she got back she let herself in, the apartment was silent, so creepily silent, she hated to think about how she just left Rachel here alone in this silence. "Rachel?" she called out as she dropped the bag and her purse on the kitchen table. She slipped her jacket off too and slung it over one of the chairs. She grabbed a glass from the cupboard and filled it with water. She then took the box out of the bag and ventured further into the apartment, with the glass in one hand and the box in the other. She didn't get far before she heard movement in the bathroom "You okay... you showering yet?" she pushed the door open wider, cautiously.

"No" Rachel's voice broke, but not from emotion this time, her voice was rough for another reason.

"What's up-" she stopped as she saw Rachel was knelt in front of the toilet bowl "oh you threw up?"

Rachel nodded as she stood up and flushed the toilet. She then returned her attention to the sink, so she could rinse her mouth out "Yeah, about 2 seconds after you left and then again just now"

"Did you... collect, you know?" she hoped Rachel had got most of it done; she didn't want to be here forever, in this awkward situation, even if that made her selfish.

"I got everything I need. My clothes are in a bag too" she pointed to the floor behind her "all over there" Santana looked down to find a neatly folded and packed brown paper bag "I was about to start taking photo's, and I just... my stomach turned again" she admitted reluctantly. Everything, every thought just reminded her how weak she really was. She didn't know what she was going to do once Santana was through helping her; she had no clue how she was going to deal with this.

"Okay" Santana just nodded. She placed the box and glass on the back of the sink, behind the faucets "That's there when you're ready"

"Thank you" she really meant it too. She hadn't even thought about... _that_, pregnancy. She didn't really know what she was thinking, she just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry.

"Let me help you with the photos, It will be quicker, then you can shower" she suggested when she saw the way Rachel's knuckles had turned white, from the tight grip she had on the lip of the sink. She was hunched over, her robe wrapped rightly around her, her eyes avoiding her reflection in the mirror in front of her. There was no way she could take photos and look at them, to make sure they were clear.

"But... there's some mild bruising to..." she pinched the bridge of her nose, then dropped her hand and vaguely gestured over her breasts "here"

"Rachel" Santana said so softly, she didn't think her voice had ever sounded so meek before "The last thing I want to make you feel is vulnerable" she swallowed thickly "And I know this is hard for you to believe, but you _can_ trust me"

"Can I?" she looked to the Latina standing in the door way "You won't just laugh"

It stung Santana, she was probably the last person Rachel _wanted_ help from, let alone expected. "I wouldn't... I'm not stupid, I know this is difficult, the last thing I want you to feel around me is vulnerable"

"O-Okay" she conceded "shall we go to my room?" she weakly suggested

"You finish up here, I'll get the camera, and... stuff" was it too late for Santana to wish she'd wake up from this nightmare. Then again, that thought alone made her feel guilty; Rachel must be wishing the same thing, hundred times harder.

"Okay" Rachel just nodded and looked away again, her eyes landed on the box in front of her. She couldn't debate this; she should just take the pill now and get that part over with. There was no way she could raise... _his_ child. "My camera is on my dresser"

"Okay, once I've got them, we should put them on a flash drive or something, so you don't have to hand over the SD card, with all your normal photo's on there" Santana suggested

"Yeah I can do that" Rachel said dismissively, not wanting to take up anymore of the other girl's time, and not wanting to delay the next steps in the 'evidence collection' "I'll be through in a minute"

"Okay" Santana muttered before backing away. She went to Rachel's room; she turned the light on and then went to the other side of the room to draw the curtains at each of the small windows, on two of the walls. She then grabbed the camera off the dresser and switched it on; she couldn't help but be nosey and look at Rachel's recent photos. She wasn't really that surprised when she found pictures of Rachel and Quinn, then just some of Quinn, and then just Rachel, at all the places they'd walked past on the Saturday, the cheap tourist thing to do in the city.

At first it had been weird to Santana, when Rachel and Quinn became friends in the years since they left high school, even though most of their interaction was through email. There was something about these photos too; Rachel and Quinn had come a long way... Quinn actually looked comfortable in some of these photos, and in others... the ones of her by herself, there was a twinkle in her eye-

"Okay, I'm ready" Rachel said abruptly as she marched her way into her room. She walked past Santana to stand in front of her, with the pale cream blank wall behind her "Um, is here okay?"

"Yeah, fine" Santana muttered as she switched the camera back to camera mode. When she looked at Rachel again, she was just standing there gripping the edges of her robe "What's wrong?"

"I don't know how to do this" she sounded lost, but in Santana's opinion she couldn't be far from it, even in this vulnerable state Rachel was doing what needed to be done, before she could try and clean the night off of her.

"Just... we'll start with your face, then your back, I'll do close ups if there's anything. And then we'll... do your front" she had to take a breath for the last part, to awkwardly add "And then... you know. You can lay on the bed for that one" Rachel didn't say anything, and Santana couldn't blame her. It was starting to get to the Latina why Rachel didn't want to go to the hospital. Though she wasn't sure what was worse, someone you knew taking these photos, or being touched, photographed, poked and prodded by a medical professional and total stranger "When you're ready"

"Okay, I'm ready" she stood up nice and straight, ready for her head shots. Once they were finished with the face and neck, it was time for the harder part. Rachel turned her back to Santana, and slowly dropped her robe, off over her shoulders and down, onto the floor. Santana did her best to not make a noise; she wanted to gasp at the bruises forming in her back, two lines, as if Rachel's back had met the edge of a wall or something. She didn't analyse any further, she just took the pictures. It was a long process; Santana had to check the photos were clear enough before she took another. She found bruises everywhere, light ones, but that was the point, it was only an hour, maybe two, since it happened, and the bruises were forming already, clear enough to be seen in the photos taken by the basic camera.

It got worse as the pictures got more... 'Intimate'. There was no doubt to Santana that Rachel really had been raped, and she was no doctor, it was just that easy to tell. Rachel trembled the whole time, and Santana just hoped that when these were handed over, the police wouldn't request new ones were taken. She didn't want Rachel going through all this again

"Okay we're done" she finally said the words Rachel had been waiting to hear. The victim quickly climbed off the bed and grabbed her robe off the floor, wrapping herself in it as she rushed out of the room, to the bathroom, to shower.

...

Half an hour later and Santana was ready to take down the story, Rachel wasn't though, she was still in the bathroom, Santana could hear the water running. She'd made coffee for the girl, decaffeinated of course, and cleaned up anything she could, ready for Rachel. And now that she'd waited, and waited, she was starting to worry "Rach?" she called out, as she crept closer to the closed bathroom door "Rachel?" she knocked on the door and listened carefully. She could hear the water running... and beneath it, sobbing. She had to go in there, thankfully in Rachel's rush she hadn't locked the door. "Rachel" she sighed as she found Rachel curled up in the corner of the bath tub. The shower head, hanging from the wall above, was pelting her head and shoulders with water. Her skin was bright red and the room was full of steam "Dam Berry, what are you trying to do, melt yourself?" she rushed over and shut off the faucet, "come on"

"I just want to wash him off of me" she cried "I can st-still feel him, on me"

"I know. But you're hurting yourself, you've cleaned him off, he's gone" she grabbed a towel off the towel rack and held it out for Rachel "Come on Rach, stand up"

It was a slippery struggle, as Santana ended up helping, and encouraging, Rachel to stand and climb out of the bath. She wrapped one towel around the girl's middle, and a second round her shoulders, to keep her warm, and her body protected, at least in her head.

"These are Kurt's new towels" Rachel said, absentmindedly as Santana led her back through to the main room, and back over to the kitchen table, where she had a note pad and some pens waiting.

"I don't care, and neither should you. Let's sit, we're nearly done" Santana pulled the chair out for her "Where is Kurt?" she'd met Rachel and Quinn for Lunch on the Saturday, but she hadn't even been aware that Kurt wasn't around, the entire time.

"Back home, in Lima, visiting Burt and Carol, he left yesterday, Saturday morning, when Quinn arrived" Rachel explained. Santana just nodded silently as she poured them the coffee, hoping it was still hot enough "I can't have him knowing, I can't have anyone knowing" she told the Latina as she came back over to the table with the coffee.

Santana did want to point out that people would know about this, once this is handed over to the police. She didn't though; worried it would scare Rachel into hiding, further "I won't tell anyone"

"G-good" The victim wrapped her hands around the cup of coffee.

Santana settled down opposite her and pulled the note pad closer to herself "So... what happened?" she wasn't sure how to start, but figured that was as good a way as any

"I don't know how it all..." Rachel closed her eyes and took a deep shaky breath. There was no use saying she didn't know; only saying what she did was going to help. "Okay, I was at the train station, saying good bye to Quinn" her mind took her back to the moment hours ago

_Even for this time in the evening, the subway station was bustling with various people "You're not going to walk home are you?" Quinn asked, concerned. On their walk there it had been secluded in places, creepy even. _Why hadn't she listened to Quinn?

"_It's only a few blocks" Rachel waved off, it was no big deal. She wandered around the night time streets, alone, before._

_She dropped her luggage, bag, to the floor by her feet so she could talk, without it digging into her arm "Rachel, I don't like to think of you wandering around the city at night" she scolded._

"_I'll take a taxi" she conceded, though it was a lie, just to comfort her friend._

_Quinn grabbed her purse that was slung over her shoulder, she unzipped it, searching for something "Here, let me give you some money for that" she tried to offer._

_But of course, Rachel was having none of that "No Quinn, no. I've got it..." she brushed off; she couldn't take anymore of Quinn's generosity. She'd been so nice with her; she'd paid often too, probably because she felt sorry for Rachel, the brunette imagined "so I had a really great weekend"_

"_Me too" she smiled brightly back, before it faded again "Sorry about your break up with Brody"_

"_I'm not, it was time to just quit with him... doesn't mean I don't feel bad about it" she muttered, guiltily. She then forced herself to brighten up again. She'd just had a really great weekend, with a great friend "Thanks for this weekend. Although I'm going to be on my elliptical for several hours over the next week burning off all the ice cream I ate" Rachel teased._

"_Hey, I'm gonna have to run a marathon, so your fault Berry" Quinn teased, right back. She then saw the board above Rachel's head and heard the approach of the train "Oh damn, that's my train" she sighed. She'd only stayed the one night, only been there two days; it definitely hadn't felt like long enough_

"_You take care Quinn" Rachel told her "And visit again soon"_

"_I will. And you be careful out there, Rachel" she closed the space between them and enveloped the smaller girl in her arms. Quinn wasn't often a hugger, but when Rachel did get hugged by her, it just made her feel closer to Quinn, and not in the obvious way. It made her feel Quinn felt she could trust her and open up to her. She knew the blonde had had her own troubles in life, already, so if she trusted Rachel that was a big deal to her._

Rachel's mind was paused on that moment, in Quinn's arms. That hug was the last time she felt safe, she really hoped she'd feel like that again, some day.

"Then I was walking home... I don't know, I heard footsteps closing in behind me, I turned but all I saw was a hand, maybe a cloth in the hand heading for my face and then I c-couldn't scream , I tried to breath but whatever it was... it was sickly sweet and... I p-passed out..." she explained slowly, she wanted to close her eyes and hide but if she did she was sure she'd see the whole thing play out, again, in her head like a horror movie, "I-I-I, H-He-..."

"Take your time, its okay" Santana's voice actually soothed her.

Rachel swallowed thickly, and nodded, before finding the courage to continue "I... I came to but... it's hazy you know... I was cold and he was touching me all over... and h-he oh god Santana, he was in-... I can't"

"It's okay, I get it" the taller girl spared her having to describe that, she was pretty sure she didn't need much of a description in that part anyway. She just noted it down and continued "Did you get a look at the guy?"

"I-I don't know" She _had_ to close her eyes, this time, to think "I don't think so, it was dark"

"Okay good" Santana nodded and continued writing "Could you make out anything in the room?"

"Um... I don't know, maybe there was low light, maybe a window, behind him... it felt like it was moving as-as h-he did" she screwed up her bruised face, not even sure if that made sense. She didn't know how she'd been drugged, or what with, it must have made her think the room was spinning though... how could a room move, otherwise

"Okay, good" Santana just nodded

"That doesn't help you!" Rachel snapped, making Santana make eye contact with her, instead of with the damn note book. The crazy couldn't have set in already; she couldn't already be over thinking could she. If Santana couldn't look at her, is that what other people would be like, if they found out.

"No but it might help a cop who knows what to do with these details" she explained, making sure to look Rachel in the eye "What else, sounds, smells?" she prompted for more details.

"I could only smell the same sickly sweet smell that he put over my mouth and nose..."

"Okay" maybe that's what he used to knock her out, something on the cloth Rachel thought she saw when he struck, and again.

"And he was taller than me" Rachel added, before she snapped again "Don't go there!"

"Go where?" Santana looked back at her confused

"I know what you were thinking 'everyone's taller than me'" she accused, as tears brimmed her eyes again.

"I was not" Santana defended, she might have thought that in any other moment in time, but not tonight. Not when that light that used to shine in Rachel's eyes was gone.

"You were" Rachel narrowed her eyes at her, for a moment it was almost playful, but it didn't last, especially when Santana changed the tone again, with that soft, almost alien, voice.

"This is really serious Rachel, I'm not going to sit here and joke around" she laid the note pad flat on the table top, to reduce the barriers, she knew Rachel had to feel secluded right now, not that she was an expert "How much taller?"

"I'm guessing... average height... I saw his outline; he's slim, short hair. I know that doesn't help, there's millions of people like that" Rachel mumbled, losing a little more hope.

"Still excludes a million others" The Latina reassured her "You're doing good... did he do anything... like anything that might be, ah, distinct?"

"I-I don't think so... he beat me, but I heard that's consistent with most rape cases. I wasn't awake long before he shoved the cloth over my mouth again and that's it... you woke me up" her eyes suddenly widen. She'd been so focused on what actually happened, and then what she was doing now she forgot about the bit in between "Outside my apartment, he knows where I live!"

"You didn't come home yourself?" Santana checked as guilt started to brew in the pit of her stomach.

"No, I was with... _him_, and then you were waking me up!" she shrieked, unintentionally. It was like all the panic from earlier, that she'd been unable to express, was escaping now.

"Shit" Santana seethed

"What?" Rachel just asked worried, she needed to know how Santana was feeling, was she as scared as she was right now.

"If if I'd been faster, I could have seen him, stopped him" she voiced her realisation, with that guilt "Fuck. Rachel, I am so, so sorry"

"It's not your fault... I should have got a taxi" a sudden sob escaped her mouth.

Some strange, weird instinct kicked in. She was up out of her seat and by Rachel's side, crouching next to her as she carefully wrapped her arms around the other girl "It's okay, It's gonna be okay"

"How can you say that?" Rachel turned her head, burying it into Santana's neck. She thought the last thing she wanted right now was human contact, she was sure she'd be pushing the other girl away but there was something serenely comforting about Santana by her side.

"I got you now, I'm not going to let anything happen to you" the words were almost automatic, like she just thought that was the right thing to say "we'll move, all four of us"

"What?" Rachel sniffed

"That way when Kurt goes away you won't be alone. Let's face it if we pooled our money we could afford a little more space between the four of us... at least that's what we'll tell Kurt"

"Sa-Santana, I don't know what I'm going to do" she snivelled

"Well you're going to take the evidence in first thing in the morning; I'll go with you-"

"No... Thanks but no, I'll do it by myself" she cut Santana off; she didn't need someone holding her hand, or someone breathing down her neck. She'd have to brave the outside eventually, so taking the bag would be the best encouragement to go out the next day.

"Okay, but I'm going to be here for you, okay? We don't have to tell anyone. We'll take this all one day at a time. Take some time off sick too, okay?" she asked again. The word 'okay' was becoming a little redundant "At least until the bruises fade, so you don't get asked questions... I'm sure you don't want more questions right now"

"Okay... what do I tell Kurt, I can hide the ones on my... abdomen and arms... a-and down there, my legs and stuff, but th-the black eye" she whimpered as she clutched at Santana's arm.

"We'll make something up, I did it or something" she shrugged lightly

"I don't think even you could hurt me like that" Rachel half chuckled, proof that she was still herself, that and her emotions were like a stormy ocean right now.

"We'll make it an accident, I opened a cupboard door and it hit you or something, it happens" that's the best she could come up with, while staring at the kitchen cupboards, on the wall opposite "You think he'll question me?"

"No... He's still a little scared of you" Rachel muttered

"What about you?" Santana asked, just out of curiosity

"No... not when you're holding me like this" Rachel tried to breath calmly, she was calmer and more relaxed than she had been a moment ago, but still nowhere near her usual self, unsurprisingly. She did keep wondering how long it would take; weeks, months, years? It was different for every victim, right?

"You don't mind, right now... being touched" Santana asked, with the same curiosity, but with more caution.

"N-not by you..." Rachel shivered "your touch is soft" she was tense and Santana could feel that, but she wasn't running, so she must have wanted to be held, so Santana stayed.

...

Rachel did manage to sleep eventually; exhaustion took over in the end. She didn't think she would sleep at all, until Santana said she'd stay by her side all night. And she did, she let Rachel sleep cuddled up next to her. She chose sweat pants and a sweatshirt that night, to make her feel safer too. She asked Santana how she could stay, and what about Brittany. She just explained that Brittany would be fine, and she'd told her girlfriend that Rachel was sick, so she had an excuse in place. Rachel thanked her for that, Brittany couldn't know, it was the kind of reality that would destroy her cotton candy world.

...

When Kurt got back they told him Rachel had got mugged, and they weren't telling Brittany. That way he was sympathetic, but he didn't smother her with worry and friendly affection.

The two nights after the one where... when Santana stayed, she barely slept. She wore the sweatshirt and sweatpants again. They made her feel safe, like she could hide in them. She also wore sneakers, ready to run if she had to. And her dresser was pulled across the doorway. She only slept when she really couldn't keep her eyes open anymore.

...

A further week later, while Kurt was at the academy, in class, Rachel heard a knock at the door. She froze, afraid of whom it could be, she didn't let anyone into the building, so how had they got in. She felt like she was suffocating-

"Hey Berry, got you some coffee" she heard Santana's voice, muffled through the barrier, and was able to breathe again. She remembered it was Santana's day off, a Wednesday. She worked really late on the Tuesday so she chose Wednesday as her day off.

She opened to door to let the other girl in and her hand was immediately met with a paper cup of coffee. Santana was also carrying a big bag... which looked worrying. "Thanks" she said for the coffee, as she stepped out of the way to let the other girl in and locked the door again behind her.

"How did you sleep?" Santana asked as she selected a seat on one of the basic sofas.

"Not too well" Rachel mumbled as she joined the oddly kind hearted young woman. Why the change? Rachel couldn't be completely sure; she found it hard to believe Santana would change her opinion on someone so drastically, for a reason so... well, drastic.

"You know, if you let me tell Britt what happened, she'd let you sleep over with us" Another weird thing, she was suggesting Rachel disturb her time with Brittany.

Rachel's answer was still no, she couldn't have anyone knowing, Santana only knew because she found her "Oh yeah, and you'd just love that" she muttered sarcastically instead.

"I'd feel better knowing you were actually sleeping" she admitted dumbly

"Why do you care, Santana? You've never given a damn about me before" she sighed and leant back in her own seat.

"I just do, okay Rachel. I give a damn, I care, because... I just do" how could Santana not, even she wasn't that heartless. Sure, maybe it was all based on pity, but that didn't mean Rachel didn't need her "...I bought Brittany a rape alarm" she added lightly, letting Rachel know just how much it had affected her too

"Oh... good" she nodded, then took a sip of the scolding coffee. She then picked a story that took her back, "You know, my dad's-" she wasn't sure how she could ever tell them "-over protective as always, gave me a-"

"Rape whistle?" Santana had remembered it being mentioned before. They'd mocked her for it, but Santana deep down had thought how lucky Rachel was that her dads were that protective. She pulled one out of the duffle bag, still in its plastic packaging, and presented it to Rachel "Just... just to help you feel like you can walk down the street again"

"Th-thank you Santana" she placed her coffee cup on the table so she could take the gift, it was a little too late, but that wasn't Santana's fault "I no longer have the one my dads gave to me... so thank you"

"I also got you this" she reached into the bag and pulled out something much bigger, Rachel almost laughed, almost.

Instead she quirked an eyebrow at the item "A baseball bat?"

"Yeah, I know when I was 13 and my house got broken into, I felt so... scared" No one had known about that, she never told anyone, except Brittany. It wasn't very Santana Lopez to admit she was scared "Made me realise it could happen again. I mean they just came right in, took half the stuff that was worth anything, and left. But they could have hurt us too, we had no clue they were there, nothing would have stopped them. Anyway, I slept with a baseball bat under my bed until I left; now it's under the bed I share with Britt. Just thought... anything to help you sleep, right?" she passed it over "And none of that aluminium shit, you wanna do some real damage, a good old wooden one is better"

"Thank you" it was another strangely sweet, and unexpected, sentiment from the girl who used to make her life hell

"It's nothing" she shrugged, and went back to the coffee "But if there's anything else..." she trailed off, leaving the offer open.

Rachel nodded and put the bat down, Santana was right; it would make a good weapon, as well as it being popular sport equipment, so it wasn't obvious it was a weapon. "Are we still looking at apartments next week?" she asked. Rachel hoped the sooner she could move the sooner she could start feeling safe again.

"Yeah, Britt's actually picked out 2 for us to look at, a little bit higher in our price bracket, but top security, alarmed windows and stuff" Not to mention actual security camera's, not just dummy cams, glued to the wall.

"Sounds good, If we go over, I'll pay the extra, monthly" she immediately put that forward, as she felt she was causing all the hassle

"Don't worry about it, Berry. I'm making the most money at the moment, anyway" Santana brushed it off. She was kinda looking forward to moving anyway, she felt vulnerable here too now, for herself, Rachel, and not to forget Brittany, of course. "We won't go over what we're spending on two, two bedroom apartments anyway, when we're looking for a three bed"

"Kurt's annoyed with me, thinks I'm being over dramatic 'even for me'" Rachel admitted. Kurt had been supportive at first, and with the basic stuff, but wanting to move her thought was too much, for a mugging.

"Let the queen get on with it, he'll calm down eventually, if not, he'll have to answer to me" she just saw Rachel bow her head, ashamed of all the trouble she was causing "You okay?"

"Yeah... thank you for being there for me"

"It's okay... you heard anything from the cops yet?" she asked lightly. It had only been two days, but sometimes things happened fast, she could get some sort of answer soon

"No... Nothing yet" Rachel shrugged "I didn't have much to give them... I'm not getting my hopes up"

"And the clinic?" she pushed. She had to make sure Rachel got tested, if she had anything they would be able to make her better before it destroyed her.

"Got the call an hour ago, I'm clear" she smiled. At least that was one less thing to worry about.

Santana found herself biting her lip as she watched Rachel staring at her paper coffee cup "... Proud of you" she muttered, almost hoping the other girl didn't hear.

"What?" Rachel spluttered in surprise.

"You went to the police... a lot of, those kinds of cases don't get reported" she smiled sadly "So, I'm proud of you" she repeated, louder this time, with no doubt or shame.

"Um... thanks" was all Rachel could awkwardly say.

"You heard from Quinn lately?" she asked, trying to move the conversation along.

"No, the last I heard was a message saying she got back to Yale okay" she just sipped at her coffee some more "I'm not surprised"

"Why? Thought you and Q were... really good buddies" she chose her words carefully, instead of outright teasing, like she could have with all those photos on Rachel's' camera. That would just trigger bad recent memories for both of them though, so she went the other route.

"Yeah... the past few months her emails have been a bit... like she's diverging the conversations sometimes... she's probably bored with me" she just shrugged again.

"I'm sure it's not that, she's probably just busy" "it's only just been a week, give it some time yet" Santana reassured her as bile bubbled in her stomach, yeah this being nice thing, just might kill her in the end.

"Good point" Rachel added. Then something occurred to her, she checked the time, before looking to the other girl curiously "don't you normally meet Brittany after her first class, around now?"

"Yeah... she's hanging with some of her dance friends, not my scene. Wondered if you'd wanna go jogging with me" her plans finally came to light.

"Jogging? ... why?" not that that was a foreign thing to Rachel, she had gone running with Santana and Brittany before, when Kurt was sleeping in and had complained about the noise her elliptical made through the thin walls in their apartment. Though she'd never complained about the noises he'd made with his boyfriend... when he had one.

Santana started out like she didn't have an ulterior motive "Oh you know, get you out, get you some air, and moving fast, with me right there. It's also cold so no one will look at you weird if you're in your leggings and long sleeve gym gear" then she dropped the truth.

"I don't know... there are people" Rachel hesitated, finding her cup more interesting, again.

"Lots of people, exactly what you need" Santana told her "you can't stay in here forever"

Santana was right, so Rachel started going out again, more often, and for more casual reasons. She also went back to class but she always felt worse there because eyes were actually on her when she was giving a performance.

...

About 2 months later and Rachel was getting some of her confidence back. Also she and Santana were becoming much closer friends, almost like normal friends. Brittany seemed to like that too, sometimes, and other times she sounded like she was getting a little jealous as Santana was spending less time with her. She didn't dislike Rachel or anything though, just suspicious of why they were such good friends all of a sudden.

"Hey, what you doing here?" it was Santana's turn to be surprised, as she looked up from the receptionist desk and saw Rachel walking in "I told you I can't get you a discount, sorry Berry" she warned.

"No, it's not that, my lesson got cancelled" or rather, she didn't show up, yet again "Thought I'd drop by, bring you some lunch" she dropped polystyrene box in front of her friend.

"Oh thanks..." she smiled "come sit" she gestured to the spare seat, with her, behind the desk.

"Behind the desk?" Rachel quirked an eyebrow playfully as she stepped round the desk and settled down with a second polystyrene box.

"Yeah, I can't leave" she's already had a lunch less lunch break, choosing to use the gym gear instead, as she was allowed to during her breaks "you might as well hang around with me" she explained, she didn't mind the company.

"What's this?" Rachel furrowed her brow at the flyer next to Santana; as she sat down to join her for lunch.

"Oh, some new evening class thing, self defence, was gonna bring the flyer home tonight" she said distractedly as she realised Rachel had actually bought her something non-vegan.

"Really?" Rachel's eyes scanned over the flyer, quickly reading the information.

"Yeah, would you be interested? It's only basic street defence" and a beginners class, but that seemed perfect for Rachel "Thought maybe you, me, and Britt could take a few classes" she deliberately excluded Kurt, he was getting more distance by the day

"Yeah I'd like that"

...

It was maybe another 4 months later, in their shared apartment, when Santana found Rachel in the kitchen. She had been slightly startled because she thought she was the only one left in the apartment, but no Rachel was sitting there, writing something.

"Berry? Don't you have class?" she started searching the cupboards for a snack to take, they really needed to go grocery shopping. Santana was all dressed for the gym day job too, bag over her shoulder in case she wanted a little work out of her own.

"Yeah... I did" Rachel said absently, as she kept writing "I quit"

"You what?" Santana had never been more relieved to not be holding something fragile, or be halfway through eating or drinking that at this point. She looked to the girl, giving her the most peculiar look

"Quit..." she said again plainly, she dropped the pen and leant back in her chair "I haven't told my fathers yet, they're going to hate me" she sighed, deep down she didn't care. NYADA wasn't working anymore; but her new plan would "Kurt already does"

"Is that why he stormed out of here this morning?" everyone who hadn't been awake, was when Kurt slammed the front door like a child, that morning.

"Yeah"

She had to say something; she was the only one who could vaguely understand. She dropped her bag to the floor and slid into the seat opposite the still vulnerable young woman "Rachel, this isn't you"

"I know... I just don't feel like me anymore"

Santana nodded slowly, okay she could understand that. Maybe she should have pushed the counselling idea to Rachel more; maybe she should have pushed her to go, to help her get through this. Her eyes trailed down, catching a glimpse of the paper work in front of Rachel "What the hell is this?" she grabbed at the top page pulling it closer.

"I would explain to you but I wouldn't want to insult your intelligence as I'm pretty sure you can read" Rachel was in defensive mode, after Kurt's verbal attack it just sort of washed over her, and she was now stuck like that.

"Berry, it's for the New York Police Academy" she checked, to make sure Rachel really knew what she was signing up for.

"You are correct" she nodded bluntly.

"Is this serious?" when she thought about it, Rachel wasn't one to start ideas and not follow them through.

"I thought about it Santana... I can't stand on a stage anymore, I just feel... exposed. What if I could make it on Broadway?" the question wasn't really supposed to be answered, it was more rhetorical.

"You know you could" Santana had spent years tearing her down, but that didn't mean she didn't believe Rachel was capable of succeeding, and living out her dreams.

"But... I don't think I can, I don't think I want to... people would know me, they might even get to know where I live, Santana- Wha-What I-if some-s-" Rachel started to tremble again, for the first time, in front of Santana, since that night.

"It's okay" Santana hushed

"No it's not" Rachel wiped her tears on her sleeve "That's why I want to do this"

"...If this is about getting a gun we can get one" Santana just checked, maybe a baseball bat and a rape whistle wasn't enough.

"No, no its more than that, I want to make an actual difference. I don't want people to go through what I went through, I want justice" she explained. For Rachel this was a chance to make a real difference, yeah, sure, maybe an underappreciated difference, but a difference that really matter

"Okay" Santana nodded, seeing the same clarity Rachel was, and understanding where she was coming from "Where did you get that application form?"

"Why?" Rachel furrowed her brow

"Might apply with you" she tried to play it cool; yeah, the usually bad girl was thinking about being a cop.

"Really? Why would you do that?"

"I got no ambition, nothing to aim for; I just work two jobs so I can stay here and keep Brittany comfortable" she admitted "So let me try with you, no competition or anything, just... let's try"

Rachel beamed, like really beamed. She got Santana an application, and the Latina filled it in when she got home that night.

...

When Kurt found out he thought she was crazy, he thought she was over reacting. Their friendship didn't last much longer, and he moved out. Rachel was sad, Santana not so much. They put Rachel's elliptical in the, now, spare bedroom, and slowly added a few other pieces of gym equipment, creating their own gym space.

Rachel and Santana did join the New York Police Academy, they also graduated. Their confused, but still proud, parents were there on the day of their graduation, 6 months after they'd started at the Academy. Rachel's fathers had surprised her with their support, thought she knew secretly they were a little disappointed with how much she was throwing away. It wasn't long before Santana and Rachel were based at the same precinct. A couple of years later when they were told they were no longer rookies, they were partnered together, and the pair just exceeded all expectations.

3 years after graduation they made detective, another year after that they moved to the Narcotics unit, and stayed there for three years. Now, a little over 7 years, since they started at the academy, 7 and a half years since Rachel's rape, they were about to take another step

...

The pair were sat in their inconspicuous sedan, on a dark, damp, night time street, waiting... and waiting. Detective Lopez and Detective Berry had been working on this case for over a month and this was their window of opportunity. They had caught some guy, in a drug ring, and their ADA had made the guy a deal if he helped them out. They had him standing on the corner, with one of their disguised detectives, who could pass for the guy's 'friend'. There was supposed to be a trade tonight on this dark street corner, cash for the drugs. The cash was ready and tagged, so they could trace it. The Detectives, and the S.W.A.T team waiting in the van a couple of parked cars behind them, would be led straight to the organisation.

"So... I found something in your desk earlier, a certain application form" Santana commented lightly, getting bored of the silence.

"Santana!" Rachel whispered harshly, she couldn't very well raise her voice if she wanted them to stay unnoticed. "Why were you going through my desk?"

"I needed a pen..." she shrugged as she watched the other car, with their mark and their friend waiting on the other side of the intersection "and a snack. By the way those granola things; Yuk"

"Gee, thanks" Rachel muttered sarcastically.

"Anytime" she smirked to herself, behind the driver's wheel "So you wanna apply for the SVU department?"

"Yeah" Rachel admitted shyly. She had planned on telling her best friend, and colleague, before she actually handed it in "There's a couple of places going, since Stabler left... you know after the shooting incident at the 16th precinct, I thought what was the harm in maybe putting forward an application"

"...Okay" Then Santana said some words that reminded Rachel of just over 7 years ago "You got another application form?"

"Santana? You'd really try with me?" she grinned, like crazy; she'd really hoped Santana would want to go with her.

"You think I'm going to let our awesome cop duo get split up?" she punched her playfully in the arm.

"There's a second form in my desk" Rachel made it clear she anticipated that Santana would want one. And that made Santana feel wanted, Rachel didn't want to go behind her back, or plan to leave her.

"Okay then... we're applying for SVU..." Santana said aloud, making it real

"Well there's a psyche evaluation first... sex crimes isn't an easy one" Rachel muttered, she knew it was voluntary, and they were often looking for staff because some people couldn't handle it.

"But its personal" Santana didn't really ask, just assumed

"Well..." Rachel trailed off

"No I get it, your case went cold" Over time they hadn't exactly become comfortable talking about it, but there was more acceptance that it had happened. Rachel hadn't made the progress she should have, but she'd made enough to get on with many aspects of her life.

"And it's been 7 years, after 5 years there can be no prosecution" Rachel added

"No, that new law went into effect, there is no time limit in New York state for apprehending, arresting, and prosecuting rape in the first degree, the same as it is with murder charges" Santana corrected, sounding very knowledgeable.

"Santana, I had no idea you kept so up to date on those kinda laws" Rachel sighed surprised, she was mostly poking fun as she tried to avoid the actual subject.

"Well working close with Abbie Carmichael on our cases meant I thought I should keep up to date on any changes to prosecuting laws..." she took her eyes off the other car to quirk an eyebrow at the other girl "I'm surprised you didn't"

"I did on some areas, mostly drugs... seeing as that what we're focused on" she reasoned, of course she knew all the laws, off by heart, that were relative to their jobs but there were so many, it was hard to keep up.

"Well I like to keep up to date on your case, I know it's gone cold but who knows, if we get these SVU places we might be able to catch that bastard after-" she stopped when she noticed Rachel was squirming "Sorry Berry... I know it still makes you uncomfortable"

"7 Years and I'm still not over it" she scoffed to herself, thinking she was just pathetic.

"You never got closure... or counselling, I should have made you go" Santana blamed herself too.

"It doesn't matter now" Rachel tired to brush off, she wasn't fooling her partner though.

"I know all your habits Berry. As a roommate it's hard to miss them..." she watched the other woman's reaction "Brittany asks me why you have that night time routine but-"

"You can't tell her" she interrupted with her adamant tone.

"I won't, I couldn't do that, she's... she's not stupid-"

"I know that, that girl can see into my soul sometimes, I wonder if she already knows" Rachel chuckled, but it was partially to hide her vulnerability.

"She doesn't know... she just thinks you have OCD" Santana shrugged, at least that's what she'd suggested to her girlfriend when she was asking too many questions. She didn't want Brittany knowing either.

"I guess I do" Rachel shrugged, OCD seemed to be fitting.

"I couldn't tell her the truth, it would damage that fluffy happy mind of hers, and I need her all fluffy like that for when I get home" Santana chuckled. Dealing with druggy scum all day was made better by the beautiful light minded woman at home. "... What if one of us gets it and the other doesn't?"

"Then... it's up to you, if you don't get it, I'll stay here with you" Rachel decided. She wasn't leaving her partner behind.

"Same then, like I said, can't have our awesome cop duo get split up" she smiled

"I don't think we'll still be partners, though" Rachel admitted reluctantly "They're looking for partners for Benson and Tutuola"

"You know them by name?" Santana was terrible at remembering names unless they were guys they worked directly with. I guess they both surprised each other, Santana remembered laws, Rachel remembered names.

"We've all crossed paths before, remember?"

"Maybe..." Santana trailed off as she spotted movement. "Hey... check this out..." A black SUV pulled up on the corner where the other car, with the set up was waiting. They watched as some guys got out, and then the undercover detective and their guy got out of the other car... words were exchanged.

"Is he taking it?" Rachel asked for confirmation, so she knew it wasn't just her seeing these things. One of the men from the SUV checked the money... he didn't find anything untoward.

"... Yep, drop made" Santana confirmed as she watched the people get back in their cars and the black car drive away again. Santana then started the car and prepared to follow the other car at a distance, so she'd be an entire block out of sight, meanwhile while Rachel prepared to direct, if they needed the tracer at all

Rachel pulled out her radio as Santana pulled out of the parking space "Van in position, we are on the move, heading south bound" the van that was parked a few cars behind them, came to life too, following them as inconspicuously as possible.

They followed the car to a warehouse near the docklands. Once the men were inside they pulled up quietly outside. The S.W.A.T team unloaded and Detectives Lopez and Berry, already in their bullet proof vests, and with their hand guns ready, got in position leading the group. As they started to surround the building, police cars and vans showed up, ready to help make the arrests and assist in the apprehension. Officers got into place behind the S.W.A.T team members too, handguns ready, Kevlar vests securely on.

As soon as they gave the order, the S.W.A.T team broke down the door, the building was rushed, and the men inside quickly bought to a standstill, without a single shot being fired.

The two young detectives made it look simple, as the system was shut down in minutes. Another job well done, that they would be congratulated for, back at the precinct. They only wondered what they could accomplish with the Special Victims unit.

* * *

**Let us know what you think... ****I think...**


	2. Colleagues

**Thanks for the reviews, favourite and alerts, everyone, and just the hits too, it's really encouraging. This isn't an easy thing to write about, I don't want to upset anyone, so I've thought about Rachel's situation at every moment in the fic. Just hope I pull it off for you guys and Wheelie91**

**Anyway, thanks to the reviewers: hope2smith, WhatHurtsmeMost, bigbangfan91, Loner-wolf, CrazyTexan, Guest, Ilianalovee, musicwolf89, coventgirlvampire, piecesofyourheart, NZgleek91, brandy. derby, Angel Scones, ShadowCree, BellaDora Soulmates, Guest, Rujess, Faithfan2000, unbreakable86 **(Hey Germany!)**, Niekie, mika-faberryluver4395, EmAgronsky, gllover22, LoveLight22, Guest, Guest, General Mac, Guest, yanval, angela1174, Guest and OutOfNoWhereHereIAm.**

**Posted: 15/10/13**

* * *

Colleagues 

She didn't think it would happen so quickly, but here Detective Berry was, packing up her desk, ready to vacate the precinct, and better still, with Detective Lopez in tow.

The floor was a little too quiet, but it was still first thing in the morning. It just made their departure a little lonely, as the pair cleared their things into the classic open top card board box.

Apart from the few Officers passing their office the only other body around was a fellow detective, Tony Argento. He'd reminded Rachel of Puck when they'd first met, only a little taller, and not as built. Older too, and of course he didn't have a ridiculous Mohawk. There was just something about him, that ad made Rachel, and even Santana, feel more comfortable when they'd joined the team three years ago.

She paused, her eyes lingering on the item she was packing up into the box. It was normal for people to put photo's on their desk, their pal Tony had pictures of his wife and kids, a classic in the office. But Rachel had just two, one of her, Santana, and her dads. She was in her academy uniform, it had been taken on the day she and Santana graduated. The second photo had been taken a few years later, once they had become partners. Her fathers had been visiting in the city and had wanted to take a photo of them standing in front of their very own patrol car. Rachel smiled at the memory.

In the corner of the photo frame she'd tucked the tiniest news article that she'd cut from a news paper. It had been about 'Office Berry and Office Lopez' and a feat of heroics they had performed, before other officers and ambulances had made it to a scene.

"So just like that, you guys are leaving?" Tony asked, disturbing Rachel from her thoughts. He was leant against the lip of his own desk, near Rachel's, his arms folded as he watched his colleagues pack up.

"Aww come on Tony, don't say you're going to miss us" Santana teased as she half heartedly dropped a few items into the box, it was just stationary and crap, she wasn't that sentimental.

"Maybe not you Lopez, but little Berry" he countered.

"Hey!" Rachel snapped and glared over her shoulder at him "I can have you in an arm lock quicker than anyone in this precinct Detective Argento, and don't you forget it."

"See, who are we gonna tease?" he just smirked back and then looked to Detective Berry's partner.

"The new guys, who replace us" Santana suggested. That's normally how it went, a little teasing for the new guys, well for off the job stuff anyway.

"I think we got one coming over from Homicide, and another from Vice" it sounded like he wasn't pleased with that, like he expected he'd have to teach these new guys how things were done in Narcotics, every department had its ways, it's own specific dos and don'ts "You know they just ain't gonna cut it like you two" he sighed, trying to grab an ounce of sympathy.

"Well then we're sorry to be leaving" Rachel sighed back, as she continued to pack away the last things from her desk. She should have done it the day before like she planned, but she'd got carried away with work, as usual.

He wandered over to them, joining them next to their opposite desks "Sorry the guys aren't all here to say goodbye but you know how it is" he smiled sadly.

"Duty calls" Rachel finished for him, with a sad smile of her own.

"Last night was a big enough send off anyway" Santana agreed. They'd taken them out for drinks, and all got a little carried away. Luckily Brittany had been there too to make sure Santana, and Rachel, got home safe.

"Don't remind me, I'm still feeling rough, and I swear I didn't drink as much as you Santana" The shorter detective said in wonder.

"You're just a light weight" Santana taunted right back, in the way they usually did.

"Whatever" Rachel mumbled, too tired to come up with a better come back, they'd been at this for years, it was getting harder to come up with responses. She then noticed their fellow Narcotics Detective looking at them "What are you smiling at?"

His smile softened a little more "You two. Stay in touch won't you."

"I'm sure our paths will cross" Rachel reassured him.

"Yeah, what she said" Santana mumbled, in a way that got Rachel and Tony's sudden and curious attention.

Rachel raised an eyebrow while she eyed up the woman who was keeping her head firmly down, her eyes set on the box on her desk "You crying Lopez?"

"Nah, just the air conditioning stinging my eyes" she waved off

Tony just scoffed "Sure, like you haven't used that one before."

"Whatever" She looked up, fiercely, her eyes were a little puffy but no tears had escaped "You ready, we're meeting with Cragen at 10?"

Rachel checked her watch, it was nearing 20 past 9 "Yeah, we better head out" they had to get over to the 16th precinct and the traffic was guaranteed to slow them down at this time in the morning.

"Do you want a hand with that?" Tony offered, gesturing to the box on Rachel's desk

She smiled warmly up at him "No thank you, I've got it" she threaded her hands through the cardboard handles and lifted it with ease.

"But you didn't ask me" Santana scoffed, insulted, or at least just pretending to be "I swear I'm not even going to miss this place," she waved a hand at him as she kept her back to her two colleagues "you always treat Rachel like a damn queen and me..." she let out a hurt sigh. And people called Rachel a drama queen.

Tony and Rachel shared a smile, Rachel added an eye roll while Tony shook his head at the Latina's antics "Lopez, would you like me to take your box down to your car?" he offered, sympathetically.

"You know what, no, forget it, I got my own box" she grabbed the box roughly and headed towards the elevators. The whole thing was just an excuse; she couldn't let them know she was feeling sentimental and sad about leaving, so she had to make the quickest exit possible

"Oh Lopez, you can be such a guy" Rachel mocked, the amount of times people got called a girl for being so soft, these two had made it a regular thing to do the opposite. She just picked up her box and followed at a slower pace, Tony followed too.

He just watched as they got into the elevator. He couldn't really go to the car with them, he had to man the desks while everyone else seemed to be out a busy "You guys take care" he half waved.

"We will, you be careful too Tony" Rachel said, Santana just smiled sadly as the doors slid shut, closing on another chapter in their lives. The pair were silent while they watched the numbers flicker as the elevator took them down to the basement "I still can't believe you want to do this with me" Rachel mumbled.

The Latina rolled her eyes "Despite what you may think Rach, you're my best friend" she unnecessarily reminded her.

"Santana, you only became my friend because you pitied me" Rachel sighed. She did feel guilty sometimes, for dragging Santana down this path. She had to remind herself that she hadn't made Santana follow her, it had been her choice the whole way.

"True, but I don't regret it" Santana was truthful, there was no point lying. She looked to the shorter woman to say with conviction "I love you Rach" She saw Rachel scrunch up her nose and rolled her eyes "Not like that and you know it. You're like my sister. And you're my professional partner and that means a lot to us cops."

"I love you too Santana" Rachel said softly after a pause.

Santana screwed up her face "You know I'm taken right."

Rachel just punched her lightly in the arm.

Q~Q

The following story is  
fictional and does not depict  
any actual person of event

Law &  
Order  
Special Victims Unit

In the criminal justice system sexually based offences are considered especially heinous. In New York  
City, the detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad, known as  
the Special Victims Unit. These are their stories...

The SVU office in the 16th precinct still felt empty to Olivia Benson. Sure, the office space was still humming with activity, and somewhere a phone was ringing in the back ground, but the desk opposite her was still vacant. Not for long, however.

Her partner of 12 years had left, without saying goodbye. He'd packed his desk and cleared out his locker under the cover of darkness, leaving it empty and sad looking, with just the computer and phone left of the metal top.

"So today is the day you two get new partners?" Sergeant John Munch asked from his new desk, situated so his back was to his ex partner.

"I don't know how I feel about breaking in a new partner" Fin Tutuola mumbled as he slouched back in his chair and swivelled it round so he could talk to both his former partner and Benson.

"I guess that means you'll miss me" Munch joked.

"We'll still all be working together" Olivia reasoned. Their partnerships weren't often set in stone, they were a team.

"And who are you kidding Fin, you're always good with the any temp, no wonder Cragen wants you to take on one of the new guys" Munch added. There were no hard feelings, people moved around all the time.

"We'll see when they get here" Fin just said plainly.

Munch furrowed his brow above his tinted glasses "They're already here"

"What?" Olivia looked straight to the door of Cragen's office, the replacements were just inside. After how close she and Elliot had been of course she was apprehensive about who her next partner would be. When Olivia had joined Elliot had already been there a number of years, so he could guide her. This time it was Olivia's turn... she just hoped her new partner would cooperate.

"They're both in Cragen's office. Got here 20 minutes ago while you were getting coffee and Fin's was on the phone with his back turned" Much explained. He'd seen the two new faces walk in, not doubting they were the replacements by the boxes in their arms.

Fin just huffed, playfully, yet sounding as serious as ever "And you didn't give me a heads up? Thanks a lot man"

"Sorry, didn't want to make a big deal out of it" he smiled to himself

"Well it is a big deal"

The three looked over to the door as they heard the door knob turn. They tried to keep casual as they all watched intently, seeing who might be their new partners. Their Captain stepped out first, and then they watched as he was followed by a fair heighted woman, with long raven coloured hair... and then a second woman, considerably shorter. She had a maturity to her face but from the back, or the side, she could have been one of those female cops they used for undercover work to lure perps. It was just an eye brow raising surprise to the team, that they would be welcoming two young women, that was all.

They looked young too, as they stood there with their boxes and listened to a last few final words from the welcoming captain. It made Olivia think back 12 years... she must have been about their age, she had been in her late 20's, they looked that age too.

Olivia, Fin and John didn't even pretend they weren't looking when Cragen finally headed their way. In fact they seemed to all sit up straighter in their seats, ready to stand and greet the newbies.

"Okay listen up, Today we welcome the two new additions to the team; Detectives Rachel Berry and Santana Lopez." he announced loud enough for the entire team to hear, not just the Sergeant and two senior detectives in the centre, but all the background members too. He then said in a normal volume voice "Berry this is Detective Olivia Benson" he pointed between the two woman "Liv, Berry's you're new partner" they shared a smile and a nod for now, while Cragen continued "And Detective Lopez this is Detective Fin Tutuola, Tutuola, this is your new partner" he let them nod to one another, and size one another up, Rachel noticed their mutual interacting and smiled to herself, yeah Santana would get along fine with her new partner "They both come from Narcotics, with high praise from their captain" having nothing left to say he excused himself "Right I'll let you get settled" Captain Cragen left again, back to his office, back to work.

"Um" Olivia stood up, putting into perspective just how much shorter her new partner was "here" she took the box from Rachel and but it on the vacant desk.

"Oh, Rachel Berry" she offered her hand forward once Olivia's hands were free, sure they'd just had Cragen introduce them but that was short.

"Olivia Benson" The senior detective shook Rachel's hand with a friendly smile, she was welcoming, she had no reason to be anything but welcoming... but at the same time she wasn't sure how she felt about this young Detective. She just didn't know her yet, she reminded herself.

"I know" Rachel let slip before mentally scolding herself and releasing her new partners hand.

"You know?" Olivia looked a little worried, only a little though.

"Yeah, um, I've read up on some of your cases" Rachel tried to explain calmly, so she didn't come off creepy "you know just the ones I can read up on and, well-"

"What she's trying to say is, she's a fan." Santana interrupted for her, and explained basically to the two senior detectives and Sergeant who were giving Rachel odd looks.

"Not like a creepy fan, more like I admire the work the team has done..." she trailed off, realising she'd messed up already and they were just going to think she was weird, or worse, naive. "Wow I suck at first impressions." she muttered.

"I could have told you that Berry." Santana laughed easing the silence.

"Yes, thank you Santana." Rachel glared at her.

"So you two worked close before?" Olivia asked, recognising the type of banter playing out in front of them.

"We were partners" Santana nodded. She wondered if she'd miss that, being so close to Rachel, professionally of course. Then again it might be a nice break not being so close anymore, seeing as they'd still see each other and they'd still be living together.

"So... are you the detectives that just bust that cocaine trafficking _project_ down at the docks?" Fin asked. He was more than familiar with working in Narcotics too. Either way, word floated between the precincts before the stories made them into some back page in a news paper, so naturally everyone heard about the big things. Anyway, Fin had to ask, it would have made sense if it was them as Cragen had just said

"Yeah that was us, stopped a ring of 8 traffickers, bringing it in from Peru." Santana had no problem gloating, she never had.

"Peru? I thought Colombia was the biggest exporter of Cocaine" Olivia asked, Narcotics wasn't her thing, even when a witness was into drugs they'd let it slide just to get the info they wanted.

"Peru has taken the top spot recently" Rachel informed her new partner "it's one of those never ending fights, drugs" she shrugged

"So is sex crimes" Olivia added humourlessly.

"Unsurprisingly" Santana muttered as she started sifting through her box. She wanted to get unpacked and settled as soon as possible.

"John Munch" he offered his hand out, and Rachel shook it.

"Nice to meet you, Sergeant Munch, right?" Rachel checked in a paused hand shake.

"Right" he smiled at her, surprised before he released her hand. Her research might just be paying off.

The senior detectives all went back to their seats as the new comers started to unpack "I'm not complaining but surprised by the replacements both being women" Fin noted as he leant back in his swivel chair.

"They were the best of all the applicants" Cragen's voice rang out as he passed by their desks, shortening the answer and defusing any unintentional tension.

"And don't think of Lopez as a woman, she's such a guy" Rachel teased, knowing she had to get in there first, to avoid another easy one

Santana just rolled her eyes and fell back into her chair, finding herself at home pretty easily. "Oh thanks Berry"

"Any time" she smirked to herself as she continued to stand over her box, and take the few items out.

"I know what you guys are thinking" Santana said to her new colleagues and Rachel just knew where this was going. She drew their attention in with confidence as she kept going "You might be thinking my girl is a bit on the short side" she may have got some teasing, okay a hell of a lot of teasing in the academy, and then some more when she met her first partner. It had significantly reduced one she had partnered up with Lopez "But don't mock the height, she's like a little hulk, she'll go green and tear holes through walls" she was smirking when she noticed Rachel's narrowed eyes on her "What?" she asked innocently

"Is that really necessary?" Rachel sighed distractedly, as she placed the two photo frames on her desk. She silently noted that Olivia had just one on her desk, between the files and loose pages. She didn't know who was in the frame though; she could only see the back.

"Probably" Santana shrugged. She really did look at home, slouching in her chair "Also she's really great when you need to get into a locked down building, you can just crawl through any window or gap in a fence" she wasn't smirking that time, but Rachel was still looking at her annoyed "Why are you still glaring at me? That was a genuine compliment" she defended.

"Maybe I should share some of your skills with everyone" Rachel folded her arms, and looked down on Santana "like when you were undercover, and you made a really convincing pros-"

"Yeah we don't need to go there" Santana cut her off cool-ly. The three other detectives shared amused looks, these two were certainly some interesting character. Undercover work was always useful, so good to know there was experience, and being able to get into small spaces, that could be good too, "So you think we're crazy yet?" Santana asked.

"Yet?" Munch scoffed, playfully.

"Liv, how are we doing on the Milton Case?" Cragen asked as he walked back past her desk, back towards his office. He waited in the doorway for an answer.

She shuffled through a few pages on her desk "Uh, just need to check in on a possible third witness"

He nodded "Okay, take Berry, see what you can find" Cragen instructed.

"Yes Captain" Olivia called back as she snapped into action, packing up her desk and locking her computer, and then grabbing her shield and gun from one of the desk draws.

Rachel's was already on her hip, so she was free to go. She just followed Olivia's lead out of the office. She shared a look with her old partner, Santana mouth good luck. She knew this would all be harder on Rachel... maybe. Sure, Santana had been through a lot with Rachel, as an outsider... she'd been an outsider all this time, and now she'd be an outsider again, every day, for the job. She just couldn't get as close to them as she had Rachel. She had to know to put space between herself and the vic.

She used to be a straight up bitch, maybe she should tune in to that again, build a harder outer shell. She didn't really need to worry about that right now, she and Rachel had been evaluated, psychologically for the job, and passed, so for now it meant they were capable of doing this job.

Q~Q

"Are you okay?" Olivia asked into the silence of their cop sedan. They'd only driven a couple of blocks but the silence inside the car was a little worrying. she worried her new partner was anxious.

And secretly Rachel was a little. She knew how to do her job, but this would be revisiting her past, she just hoped she could handle it. she'd never got closure, but she'd make sure other woman, and even men, and worst of all children, would get that closure "Yeah... I might be a bit quiet the first few days, just tell me what to do" she explained. She wasn't going to pretend she knew what to do "I'm a cop, I know how to be a cop, and a narcotics cop at that, but I know this is different. The vics aren't always dead, or kids being used as drug mules. They're real victims and they need support. And your perps aren't drug runners, they're a different kind of scum, sometimes with psychiatric problems, sometimes vics themselves. So... you lead the way, not that you won't anyway, I heard you just made Senior Detective, congratulations by the way, but what I mean is... I'm all ears"

"Seems like we'll get along just fine" Olivia smiled as she kept her eyes forward "If you can stop the long winded talking"

"My previous partner would state that 'you'd be lucky'" Rachel joked... she then needed to sound more serious for a moment, she didn't want her new partner making assumptions about her old one "Forgive Santana for back there, she's not always that... forward. She'd just trying to protect me. New start, she doesn't want the comments to come back. They normally stop when I prove myself but she's trying to cut to the chase"

"I got that from her. And for what its worth we're not so immature in our unit... Munch sometimes might say something without thinking but that's just him" she added lightly, letting Rachel know everything was cool

"... So I heard you and Stabler had been partners for 12 years, it's gotta be tough losing him" Rachel tried to move the conversation along, but immediately wondered if that was still a sore spot

"Yeah, it is, but... things happen and eventually it's time to move on" the senior detective actually appreciated that Rachel acknowledged Elliot's existence "How long were you and Lopez partners?"

"Nowhere near as long as you and Stabler. We joined the police academy at the same time, graduated together, were at the same precinct for 2 years before we qualified to be partnered up, so it's been 5 years. And now we're here." She explained "Sorry for the life story."

"No, it's good to know, partners become like family if they last" she sounded encouraging "SVU, was where you were aiming?"

Rachel furrowed her brow. It had become the aim maybe a year after she and Santana had graduated, at least a silent aim for herself that she always hoped Santana would follow her to "Yeah... is that strange?"

"No... it was personal for me. But most SVU cops only last 2 years" Olivia noted, not that she wanted to be swapping for new partners anytime soon. So far so good. Though it hadn't been an hour yet.

"Well I passed the psyche evaluation for now, let's see how long we last."

"So what was your motivation?" Olivia wondered out loud. She would even be brave enough to share if Rachel asked the same question back.

"Oh... an old friend of mine, a mutual friend of mine and Santana's actually, she was raped. It was horrible, she became withdrawn and secluded. In the end she didn't want to know us anymore, we reminded her of the past and it hurt too much. She moved away, told us she wanted to be where people didn't know her. I just wish we could have helped her more" The lie didn't feel wrong, not completely, the whole thing had happened so long ago and was still hazy that it often felt like it had happened to someone else. It hadn't though, and she still couldn't imagine moving on int hat part of her life. "I decided, I wanted to try and make a real difference".

That was admiral, in Olivia's eyes, and something she could relate too.

Q~Q

It wasn't long until they were back at the 16th precinct, with their latest witness statements. Fin and Olivia had the clear boards out with photos, maps, and hand written notes scrawled across it. They were catching up their new partners on the current case as they worked on it too.

"Wow, a lot of new faces around here?" The group of four all looked to the double door as the new face and voice walked in. a Blonde woman in a suite, files tucked into one arm, purse slung over the other, and black framed glasses on her face.

"Oh this is Detective Rachel Berry, my new partners. And Detective Santana Lopez, Fin's new Partner" The younger detectives greeted the woman professionally with handshakes as Olivia introduced them "This is Alex Cabot our ADA"

"Speaking of new faces, where's your 'assistant'?" Tutuola asked, noticing Alex's shadow wasn't in sight

Rachel furrowed her brow "I didn't know ADA's had assistants" they had partners of their own, people they worked with but not assistants. They were sure their ADA Abbie Carmichael could have really done with an assistant right now while trying to make sure those 8 drug traffickers got convicted and served the right amount of time.

"She's not my assistant, she's my niece" Miss Cabot explained to the two Junior Detectives "And due to the unfortunate amount of cases the SVU department faces we were allowed to hire a third body to help cover the work."

"And your niece just happened to be around?" Santana asked, with her usual abruptness.

"She works hard, and she knows what she is doing." Besides it not always just what you know, but who you know too, seeing as she had an uncle and a god mother who were both judges "She worked in family court before" she added.

"Oh please" Olivia scoffed "she's your clone, a mini Alex. Same power suits, same walk, same reading glasses, same authority in your voice that can fill a court room" not that she'd paid that much attention to the Lawyers Court room routine "She was perfect for the job"

"It's a wonder how Novak puts up with you two" Fin added. Novak had been named Senior ADA, leaving Cabot as just the ADA, and a third woman as technically AADA, is they were going to keep 'rank'.

"So where is she?" Olivia asked again.

"Talking to that young officer she's been dating recently" Alex rolled her eyes. She wasn't really surprised that her niece was the type who couldn't walk through one floor of a precinct without catching someone's attention "An Officer Moreno, I think" The clicking of heels on the hard linoleum floor got Alex to look back "Oh there you are" she smiled to her niece, then that smile became a smirk. "How's your officer?"

Rachel and Santana both leaned to the side to get a better view of the 'Assistant Assistant District Attorney' "Not _my_ officer... it's only been a few dates and-"

"Quinn?" Rachel's voice was frail with the shakiest of surprise. That was the last face she thought she'd see.

The younger blonde woman furrowed her brow as she took in the short woman with the long brown hair, in the blue jeans and leather jacket. Eventually it registered to her, and the smile that had been on her face was wiped off as she just stared at the woman beyond her aunt "... Rachel?"

"Don't mind me Q" Santana muttered sarcastically from next to her current best friend.

"Santana?" the shock only increased, and then it became worry. Why would these two women be in this department? "What are you two doing here, are you okay?"

"They're the new detectives with sex crimes" As soon as Fin explained that Quinn's shoulders dropped with relief, all before the confusion could settle in.

"You all know each other?" Benson asked, trying to break the silence.

"We went to high school together" Santana explained for the three of them, as the other two were too busy still staring at one another.

* * *

**Let us know what you think... I think**

**... For anyone wondering Q~Q is supposed to be handcuffs, to show a cop section of the story.  
There will be {}=-= (Gavel) type page breaks too for the Court room type stuff... so yeah, I'm being weird.**


	3. History

**Thank you for reviewing: sillystarshine, Guest, hope2smith, Niekie, piecesofyourheart, ScOut4It, xtreme12, NZgleek91, itsmeCELIN, Goldilocks21, Guestgllover22, healthy, Faithfan2000, eager reader, coventgirlvampire, bigbanfan91, Ganeral Mac, pierce22, ateneajj** (no need to apologise, all languages welcome, write in your mother tongue if you like, I very much appreciate every review either way :) )**, SeraphPyro, celesteSky598, Golden-life, Guest, mika-faberryluver4395, Guest and Guest.**

**Posted: 21/10/13**

* * *

History

They hadn't spoken to Quinn much, it _had_ been 7 years, what were you supposed to say to someone who just stopped talking to you 7 years ago, probably when you needed them most? So they said a short 'hello, how are you?' and then got on with their work. Though there was the occasional glance, the questioning looks, shared between the three old acquaintances.

Contact had been at a minimum over the next few weeks for Quinn and, Rachel and Santana, so they didn't get a chance to talk outside of being professional. The two junior detectives were definitely impressed by Quinn's ability to sound totally natural in her role as Assistant, Assistant District Attorney. She must have worked hard to get to where she was, like Rachel and Santana had. All three of them were nearing 30 but not quite there just yet, and they'd already come so far.

A couple of weeks into the job and they got a case, they'd been getting cases everyday but this time it was different.

"We've got a case, hotel downtown" Cragen called across the floor. Sometimes the cases walked in themselves, sometimes they were called in from another desk, but today Cragen was giving the orders "I want all four of you there" Olivia furrows brow, but when Cragen noticed it he gave her a serious nod, and she read him straight away.

The four headed out that early morning, separated into their partnerships between two cars.

Q~Q

They had barely got out of the car when an officer in uniform met them in front of the basic hotel.

"Detectives, am I glad to see you" the female, Italian American, officer greeted as she led them into the building "We've got a DOA, 11 year old girl, her throat was slashed, we had to call you in though after how we found her" she explained. Santana and Rachel shared a concerned look, now they realised why they were both here, it was their first kid case "The ME's already here with the CSU, third floor" the officer pointed to stair case "We already got a statement from the cleaner who found her, she's pretty shaken up"

"What about the guy at the front desk?" Tutuola asked, noting the man standing there on the opposite side of the foyer, looking very nervous.

"We haven't spoken to him yet, thought we'd wait for you guys" The female officer explained. Rachel's eyes scanned the officer's shield and the name above it. 'Moreno'. She was sure that sounded familiar, but she didn't remember meeting this woman before.

"Okay" Olivia nodded "Berry, Lopez, get his statement, then come meet us upstairs." She said before they separated.

"Okay" Rachel nodded, as she pulled out her note pad, most detectives weren't one for this anymore, there were other methods, but Rachel was proper, so a good old note pad and a pen would help her record what she needed. The two junior detectives crossed the cheap foyer, with the old and worn red carpeting, to the reception desk in the corner.

"So you the owner here?" Santana asked straight out to make sure they weren't asking the wrong person the wrong questions.

"Yeah" the man with the thinning hair and bad flower shirt nodded, his voice was a little shaky.

"Okay, we're detectives Berry and Lopez" Rachel introduced in a calmer tone "we're just going to ask you a few questions"

"It's gotta be some shock, finding that." Detective Lopez dug straight in.

"Yeah you ain't kidding," he huffed humourlessly, he arms were folded across his chest and he kept glancing around "and I aint even the one who found them." The detectives could conclude on the most basic level that he was just scared or he was hiding something.

"So what time did the kid come in?" Berry asked.

"I swear I didn't see any kids come in, what kinda place do you think I'm runnin' here?" he yelped, feeling the accusations about to escape the detectives mouths.

"I don't know, but how can you miss a guy walking in with a kid" well they were only assuming a guy walked in with a kid, it could have been a couple of kids, all they knew was there was one kid, dead, in a room upstairs and someone had done it.

"The room she was found in, I never booked anyone into that one last night" he explained quickly, he even turned around and reached for his books, the one with all the schedules in. he opened it and showed a page with a bunch of blank spaces, and scrawled writing everywhere else "See?"

"Then why did the cleaner go into that one" Berry asked, surely the room had already been cleaned... she hoped.

"She said the door was open" The owner explained further, he was pretty quick with coming up with these

"Was there any time last night that you weren't attending the front desk" Detective Berry asked, Santana was keeping an eye on the guy while she kept her eyes on her note pad, they worked like this sometimes, Santana always had been a natural at reading people.

"Well, I took deliveries last night, I don't know how but maybe he snuck in" he was quick to suggest.

"Cameras?" Santana pointed out the two in opposite corners of the room.

"... Well..." he seemed to cringe.

"Dummy cams?" Santana asked, disgruntled. She hated them, they got your hopes up when you were a victim then let you down, hard.

"Broken" he corrected.

"God sake, sick of damn fake and broken cameras, you cheap ass" Santana muttered under her breath, but it was still heard by her ex-partner and the interviewee.

"This place doesn't make enough money, they haven't been working for a couple of weeks" he then pointed to wall of pegs behind the front desk where the room keys were hanging "Look I keep the keys here, and the main door is unlocked until I close" he dug himself in deeper.

"So anyone could sneak in" Rachel sighed "That's all for now, don't skip town" she finished up and turned away, Santana doing the same.

"Wait, am I a suspect?" they heard him call after them, but didn't answer. Right now he was a suspect, he seemed to have a bunch of suggestions to point blame at someone else, that and with broken cameras it could have been him.

Rachel lowly asked Santana "What do you think?"

"Seemed to have a lot of theories of his own. And he seemed kinda dumb" but she wasn't a fool neither of them were, he might be playing them.

"Well his IQ can't be hitting above 80, with no cameras and no locks" unless he was just acting dumb. Rachel just flicked back a page on her notes, not that she'd got much. "You head up, I just want to write something, I'll catch up"

"You sure?" Santana asked. Honestly she wasn't sure she wanted to go up alone.

"Yeah, I'll be two seconds then I'll catch you up" she confirmed, making Santana reluctantly leave her, while she wrote up a few extra points. She was just finishing up when she saw the officer who met them out front walk back into the building. She was slim, dark hair... attractive, Rachel supposed. "Officer Moreno..." she called after the officer as moved to join her at the bottom of the stairs "Hey, do you know ADA Fabray?" she had to ask, it had clicked where she heard that name from, maybe Officer Moreno had a brother or cousin who worked in the 16th precinct.

"Yeah, I do." the female officer nodded "Actually, we dated for just over a month. Didn't last though, she broke up with me" she shrugged as they started up the stairway together, towards the crime scene.

"Oh I'm sorry" Rachel managed to say despite her shock. Quinn? Dating a woman?

"It's okay, she said her heart was somewhere else or something, there were no hard feelings" She shrugged it off. A silence settled over them as they continued up to the third floor "You're Detective Berry, right?"

"Yeah..." she searched her mind, was she supposed to know this officer, she couldn't remember meeting her before.

"Oh right" She nodded, she almost sounded approving, as she looked the junior detective up and down, not even being discreet about it... and then she wandered away, to join the other Officers at the crime scene.

Further up the hall Santana had watched and was now confused. She'd been hanging around by her and Rachel's partners, who were talking to the Medical Examiner outside the hotel room door. Rachel joined her, with a matching confused expression.

"Did she just check me out?" she asked her best friend "Is there a rumour going around that I'm gay, or something?" she had wondered after a few looks she'd got from certain female officers and the way some of the male ones had spoken to her.

Santana shrugged "Well they see me, they know I'm taken so once that heart break sets in they see you and are ready for the rebound" she suggested, with faux reasonability.

"Santana" Rachel warned lowly.

"What?" she smirked, then it dropped with a sigh "No I don't believe there's a rumour that you are gay going around the precinct" she said like a robot, as if she was confirming she had come up with no such rumour... she wasn't _that_ childish... anymore.

"Then why do you think she looked at me like that" Rachel wondered.

"Maybe she thinks you're hot" Santana suggested, simply. She didn't think that was at all an impossibility.

Rachel shook her head dismissively as she leant on the wall next to her friend "She dated Quinn-"

"She what?" Santana would have chocked if she'd had anything to choke on "Q's gay..? whoa a lot of things from high school just started to make sense" she thought out loud.

"Like what? You know what, I don't want to know" Rachel decided. I might be cheerio locker room stuff and with Santana's ability to be graphic so easily sometimes "Anyway if she dated Quinn, there no way she can think I'm hot" Rachel added dismissively.

"Don't be so harsh on yourself Berry, you know you're attractive, right?" making Rachel feel down about herself had been acceptable in high school but not now, she needed Rachel to be confident in every aspect of her life not just her job.

"It's redundant what I or anyone else thinks, anyway." Rachel told her with that same dismissive tone.

Santana rolled her eyes, then she mumbled "It wouldn't be the worst idea in the world, you know"

"What?"Rachel looked up at her, curiously.

"To think about dating" Santana mumbled with a shrug. It's not like she wanted to force Rachel to move on, but it had been a long time, maybe she should consider trying. Santana still regretted not making Rachel see a councillor.

Rachel's head dropped "I'm not going there with you, Santana. Just leave it" she told her friend sternly.

"Okay" Santana backed off "... if you wanna talk-"

"Well I don't" Rachel cut her off lowly.

"Berry, Lopez" Benson called them over, before Santana could put her foot in it further "This is Dr Melinda Warner, our Medical Examiner, this is Detective Rachel Berry and Detective Santana Lopez"

"Good to meet you both" the ME nodded to both junior Detectives.

"Same here, doc, what have you got?" Santana asked, time to get on with this case, there was a dead kid in the next room, and yeah they'd dealt with dead kids before but this was different, this was worse.

The medical examiner complied, just happy someone wanted to hear about her findings so far "The vic is an 11 year old female, cause of death is the very obvious slashing to the throat, I've also noted some bruising to the wrists and neck. I also found fluids, and bruising to the thighs, pelvic and vaginal areas, but I can't tell you anything more specific until I get her back"

"Thanks Melinda, we'll catch up once you've done the autopsy" Olivia told her before walking into the room, to see the crime and investigate for herself. Tutuola did the same and Rachel and Santana followed too. There was no need to prolong the inevitable any longer.

As soon at their eyes landed on the body of the girl on the bed their blood ran cold. She was dressed, but her clothes were torn, almost to shreds, her wrists bound with duct tape and the blood had run from her sliced throat, across the bed, soaking into the mattress through the cream coloured sheets. There were smaller cuts to her body which was also patterned with bruises. She had dark hair and tanned skin, she looked of South American heritage.

Q~Q

When the body was finally black bagged and wheeled out of the hotel room, they could leave. All the evidence they could gather in the room had been acquired by the CSU. Unfortunately the room had been wiped clean of prints, and they'd really checked.

On Rachel's way out she grabbed a spare, large, evidence bag and rushed from the room. Santana was close behind, their senior partners weren't as quick.

Olivia found her partner by a dumpster next to the dingy hotel, she was throwing up in the formerly empty evidence bag.

"Hope you don't plan on handing that in" Olivia half joked. Her words were just a warning, her voice itself was actually the warning, just letting Rachel know she was being approached.

Rachel only glanced at her partner while she found a tissue in her pocket to wipe her mouth "Sorry" she croaked, "Just... turned my stomach you know?"

"Yeah I get it" Benson agreed, she'd done something similar in one of her early SVU cases.

"Let me just" she nodded to the bag she was hiding behind her leg "And I'll be with you" Olivia just nodded then waited. Rachel lifted the lid of the dumpster to put the now sealed evidence bag inside... when she paused "Um, Olivia? We're going to need another evidence bag."

"What's up, you gonna be sick again?" she asked seriously as she cautiously approached.

"No" she nodded down into the dumpster. Olivia peered over to see what Rachel was looking at. In the corner, next to a couple of full trash bags... a knife, red with blood "I think it could be the murder weapon" she said with an almost sarcastic note in her voice. If it wasn't the murder weapon for this case it might be the murder weapon for another.

Q~Q

"You must think me incapable" Rachel said to her partner as soon as they were back in the squad sedan together.

"Why?" Olivia asked as she reached across the console and searched the glove compartment for something.

"I threw up" Rachel mumbled, more disappointed in herself than anyone else actually was.

"Well... you did find us a possible murder weapon" she finally found what she was looking for, a pack of gum. She pulled a stick out and offer it to Rachel "And I threw up on one of my first SVU cases." When she'd thrown up, Elliot had passed her a stick of gum, it made her feel supported, and cared for, in a simple gesture.

"Really?" Rachel asked, surprised, and secretly relieved. "Thanks" she also muttered as she took the stick of gum and unwrapped the silver wrapper.

"Yeah, a um, a man had been murdered" Olivia didn't make eye contact with her, she just turned the ignition and started the car, so they could start the drive back to the precinct so they could start connecting dots "At first we thought it was mistaken identity and he'd been in the wrong place at the wrong time. But no, turned out he was a war criminal... who had raped and abused women" it had been the first rape case for Olivia, it hadn't been a surprise, she knew she'd be facing rape cases obviously, but it had got to her a lot more than she ever thought it would "We were investigating suspects, former victims of his and this poor woman... he'd left her scared and blind, and so frail. The mention of his name made her tremble"

"I can't imagine" Rachel felt the bile rise but the satisfaction cool that down when she remembered he had been killed.

"We didn't question her, obviously. There was no way she could have mutilated him. I did tell her he was dead, she cried, with relief." The tiniest amount of satisfaction was still evident in Olivia's voice, even after 12 years. "And then when we left I threw up." She finished like it was simple, to not make Rachel feel any more embarrassed. "And my partner game me a stick of gum and asked if I was okay. So, are you okay?"

"I will be, its just a shock to the system. You hear about these things happening but it's different seeing them... you can't even imagine it, because you don't want to, and then when you do... well you saw what happened to me" she huffed humourlessly.

"Just so you know, everyone loses it on their first kid case" Olivia sympathised. She didn't want to be bringing in another partner already, when she was just getting used to this one.

"I'll get used to it" Rachel assured her, she was good at getting used to things... at least she thought she was.

"When that happens, transfer out" Olivia warned her. Rachel looked to her, meeting her eyes in a glance, then she nodded poignantly as the words settled in.

Q~Q

Much later that day the team were still following leads and even looking fo similar vics in cold cases to see if they had anything, and if so, what they already had. They had put a rush on their evidence with the CSU but when every other connected department was doing the saem it was kind of redundant, so they'd just have to wait. They could only put a real rush on it if a current life was in danger, and they had no evidence to say there was another kid in the same situation, waiting for them to save them.

Olivia and Fin had gone out to collect dinner, the other staff in the office had gone home but Santana and Rachel felt they should stick with it, until they knew it was safe to sleep.

"You okay?" Santana asked as Rachel stepped up next to her. The Latina detective had a white board marker in her hand so she could make notes on the Perspex screens they had set up. They already had photo's from the crime scene set up, along with a photo of the cleaner who found the no named victim and the guy who owned and worked at the hotel.

"Yeah" She was feeling a little rough, but her stomach was still turning from earlier.

"Heard you had a little puking incident" her ex partner said bluntly as her eyes continued to scan the crime scene photos. There was also a map pinned up in the corner too... in case they found adjoining cases.

"Yeah..." Rachel confirmed reluctantly.

"Don't blame you... I probably would have if I'd eaten this morning" Santana showed some sympathy.

"You think" The shorter woman almost sounded hopeful that that could be true.

"Yeah, that was some messed up shit" Santana breathed, she knew they'd be facing it, didn't mean it wouldn't still be a shock.

"So why are you staring at the pictures so intensely?" Rachel questioned... though she was getting... settled around the pictures. She still cringed when she saw them but... there was almost something familiar-

"Reminds me of something" Santana's spoken thoughts broke Rachel from her mental ones "Don't you see?" She looked to her ex partner and watched as she made the woman focus on how the body was left "Take away the sexual assault... and think back 2 years."

Rachel's eyes and mind scanned... then scanned some more. Her eyes slowly widened as it came to her "... The bastard"

"You thinking the same as me" Santana quirked an eye brow.

"It could be him, maybe he stepped up the attack, maybe killing them to silence them didn't satisfy him enough" she felt disgusted at the thought, and the guy they were talking about already made them feel sick, before they added paedophile to the list of crimes.

Santana pointed to the map that she'd already drawn over in red, highlighting a specific section of blocks. "Add to the fact the hotel fits inside the area we know he was operating in"

"Oh that's what you've drawn over the map, you remember it that well" Rachel asked, she and Santana hadn't often spoken of work outside of work, normally because Brittany was present at those times, so she didn't know what Santana always thought about.

"There's loads of cases we never got the perps convicted on, but this one, a kid killer... I still remember it, you know" Santana said with disgust for the past... and their unfortunate failure at the time.

"So do I, nothing in this job is easy to forget" Rachel sighed.

"Do you think we should follow this... feeling then, or is it unprofessional?" Santana checked. All they were going on was a feeling, but today had been full of dead ends so far, so where was the harm.

"We're at a dead end, I think if we're on to something and we're both seeing it, we should go for it, at least check with our old records and see what the others think" she suggested as she started back to her desk and her phone.

"Okay then, I'll get on the phone to the archive lot, see if they wouldn't mind pulling what we found back then" Santana agreed as she too moved to her desk diagonally opposite Rachel's.

"Okay, I'll call tony, might just catch him before he heads home" Rachel decided.

"Good, because he likes you better anyway" Santana teased, before they started their separate phone calls in an attempt to get a lead.

Q~Q

When Olivia and Fin got back the office was alive despite the fact only two people were still around, Cragen was at some formal meeting trying to talk up his department, so it was just them alone.

They found Detective Berry busy on her computer, and Detective Santana, slouched back in her chair, feet on her desk as she talked, relaxed but with a business tone too, down the phone.

"What's going on?" Benson asked as she dropped the collected food on her desk.

"We might have something" Rachel looked crazed as she typed away at her computer "I've got our old pal Tony sending over some of our old case files and Santana is talking to the guys in evidence lock up" she explained as she continued to pull the old case files and notes.

"Well good luck getting that by the end of the week" Fin noted sarcastically. The guys in the evidence lock up tended to be ill mannered. They were the lowest of the low in the cop hierarchy and they knew it. On top of that they had people calling them and asking them all day to fetch things for them, it would grind at them, remind them of how fallen they'd fallen.

"Santana knows how to keep them sweet, we've got good connections there" Rachel told both the senior detective confidently "It doesn't take much, but bringing by some donuts and coffee every time we visit, helps us out" she added lowly so no one of the other end of the phone, held to Santana's face, could hear her.

The three looked to Santana as she worked her magic "Of course, no I understand its late, but if you could pull out the box first thing tomorrow then breakfast is on me... I swear, I'll bring it by when I come to sign the evidence out... okay, see you tomorrow" Santana put the phone down with a victorious grin "Got it, he'll pull the box first thing"

"Thought I was liking my new partner for a reason" muttered his approval with a slight nod of the head.

Q~Q

"The M.O. almost matches a case myself and Lopez were working on two years ago" Rachel begin the full explanation once they had all they could gathered up on the boards, with old crime scene photos too. She pointed to their suspect photo " Jayden Toure, called himself _The_ Duke, like he was some big shot, he was just scum. But we had him, he killed 3 kids, two 14 year olds, a boy and a girl, and a 15 year old boy, homeless kids who became his street drug runners. The third vic, the youngest, was our witness, we had him... But then little Tommy wound up dead in a warehouse, throat slashed hands bound by duct tape. There was also bruising to the neck where he'd been strangled before his throat was cut, just like the two vics before. In the end the Jury found him not guilty because there was just a lack of evidence"

"Me and Berry knew it was him though, but a few partial prints in the room where the second victim was found wasn't enough, the rest of what we had we couldn't prove" Santana tried not to get too angry... like she had when she and Toure had last met... she was sure he wouldn't be forgettign her any time soon.

"Well we found 2 of the three vics prints at one of his homes but that was thrown out because it was argued the warrant was signed unfairly, that the judge was manipulated because the urgency of which it was asked for. The whole case was ridiculous" Rachel explained further. Basically their case had become one disaster after the other

"You just know that judge was one of Toure's clients" Santana mumbled

"Well I wouldn't go that far Santana. But it was infuriating" Rachel agreed. They really were an interesting double act, these two junior detectives.

"Do you know where he is?" Olivia cut straight to the important parts.

"We have a last known address" Rachel confirmed, she wandered over to her desk and pulled out the write print out, to pass to her partner "and we know he has a few hang outs so he probably frequents each of them often."

"We also know his drug runners will visit his places, if we can find the girls prints there, we might have him" Santana added.

"Do you think it's enough for a warrant?" Detective Berry asked hopeful. Getting the sick son of a bitch for this case, and getting the son of a bitch who walked two years ago would just be perfect, killing two birds with one stone.

"You'll have to talk to the ladies in the DA's office" Olivia said reluctantly. She couldn't be sure if it was enough, it might have all been all too theoretical to pass for a warrant. But she knew ADA Cabot was especially talented at wording their finds to get grounds for a warrant, that and Novak was brave enough to interrupt the judges poker games to get one signed, so it was likely they'd succeed on this case too.

Suddenly Santana's cell phone started ringing; she half excused herself and only stepped a few feet away to take the call. There was no doubt who it was when they heard her answer "Hey baby... I know but we just made a break on the case... I will be home for cuddles with you as soon as we wrap this up... love you too."

The team were introduced to Santana's relationship pretty quickly after she joined the unit, Brittany had shown up one lunch time with a basket of muffins for the team. They also knew that a relationship with this job was fragile. So when she'd put her cell down and rejoined them, the senior detectives made a unintentionally joint decision.

"The DA's office will be a ghost town by now, it'll have to wait until morning" Fin pointed out.

"We can't do much more without a warrant, and its late. We should all get home and get some sleep" Olivia agreed.

"Okay, I'll get that warrant first thing in the morning" Rachel decided, she'd need to show her face down there at some point, she wanted it to feel normal... Rachel just liked, and maybe needed, routine, that was all.

Q~Q

Later that night Santana found herself in one of her most favourite places; propped up in bed, next to her girlfriend of 11 years. She was gently nibbling at Brittany's neck and slipping the spaghetti strap of the blondes vest off her off of her shoulder, when-

"Santana?" Brittany asked, also blankly, as if the work Santana was doing hadn't had an effect on her because she'd been so deep in thought.

Santana peeled away to look down at the other woman, in the dimly lit room "What's up?"

"You know I like Rach, and I know she's like your sister San but..." she trailed off as she looked guiltily back at Santana.

"What is it?" The Latina cop pushed, she didn't like Brittany keeping thoughts from her.

"Don't you think its time we got our own place" Brittany suggested. She loved Rachel, she loved having friends round too... but they couldn't grow up if they still had a roommate.

"Oh" Santana found herself moving further away, she rolled over onto her back and stared at the ceiling.

"I just want more for us Sanny... I want us to go further" Brittany rolled over and cuddled into her side "And we need our own space if we're going to grow up."

Santana found herself swallowing thickly "I see." It wasn't the prospect of a future with Brittany that made her nervous... it was the letting Rachel go, it was the idea of having to make a change in Rachel's life... Rachel couldn't be independent. She was fine at work with a gun in a holster and a badge on her belt, but at home... alone? She couldn't force that on her.

"I don't want to hurt Rachel, but... we're adults now, we shouldn't have roommates" Brittany pointed out. She wasn't dumb.

"Yeah, you're right" Santana agreed "I'll talk to her" she decided it would be better and less blunt coming from her, but how she'd ever approach the subject she had no clue.

"Okay" Brittany squeezed her tightly,

"Good night Britt" Santana suddenly had no intention to get busy tonight... she suddenly had more serious things on her mind.

{}=-=

Rachel walked into the Manhattan District Attorney's Office the next morning. She located the actual office she was looking for, when she got there she peered through the glass door before. She saw a three desk office, two larger desks opposite each other and one smaller one on the far side, perpendicular to the other two, where a blonde with glasses was sitting there, reading through paper work. She smiled to herself at how professional and natural Quinn looked sitting there.

She quietly opened the door and slipped inside "You wear glasses now?" she asked, almost startling Quinn.

She looked up to the door to the guest and instantly smiled "Oh, hi Rachel. What are you doing here?"

"Just need to see Novak about a warrant" she looked to the two vacant desk... Novak and Cabot were out then.

"Of course. How have you been?" Quinn ushered her over and gestured the seat in front of her, on the other side of her desk.

"Good..." Rachel nodded as she took the seat "changed my career path since we last spoke" she said lightly, though the changing of careers had never been taken lightly.

"Yeah I figured that much... how come?" Quinn asked, keeping the conversation short... she wasn't sure what to say, or even what she was allowed to ask. She hadn't taken an interest in so many years... not that she didn't want to.

"Just... wanted to make a real change" Rachel shrugged, it was better than the true story, and she wouldn't be sharing the truth with anyone any time soon anyway.

"Right" Quinn breathed and nodded again.

"Nice specs" Rachel commented with a smirk she'd contagiously caught off of Santana over the years. Maybe the smirk was hiding something else too, maybe a 'I know your secret' thought, but then Rachel realised that was juvenile, obviously Quinn wasn't hiding in the closet, if she'd openly dated another woman... and then broken up with her.

"Oh, I only need them for reading. Staring at papers and screens all day, it's better to just wear them" Quinn excused, awkwardly, she wasn't exactly happy that at 29 she needed glasses for reading.

"They're cute" Rachel teased, almost finding herself back, far back before her world got turned upside down and when the woman opposite her was a close friend.

"Oh, ah, thanks" she cautiously took them off, suddenly feeling subconscious.

"So, how long have you been working here?" It seemed like a perfect time to ask, they were alone, she was waiting on the SADA and the ADA to return, so why not have a little chat.

"Just over 6 months now. I'm mainly here in the office, doing paralegal type duties, but my day back in the courtroom is coming up," she said confidently, and also like she really missed it "Alex and Casey just don't like to give up the spot light... like someone else I used to know" it was Quinn's turn to smirk a little.

"Well it used to be pretty great, I can't blame them" Rachel agreed with a grin, remembering how she loved her time in the spot light... before her world turned very dark.

"... Why the change?" Quinn asked curiously. She leant back in her chair, Rachel almost felt herself being sized up, analysed, by the absent old friend.

"Oh you know... stuff happens and... singing on a stage didn't seem so important anymore" she shrugged.

"You've changed" it was obvious but Quinn still needed to Say it, Rachel berry had really changed... really, really changed, and that was scary.

"Things change" Rachel decided was a better way of putting it, if the world around you changed you needed to adapt to fit in with it. or people changed... like Quinn was dating woman now, she didn't dare ask about it though "How long have you been qualified?"

"Well I graduated 4 years ago" Quinn started

Rachel raised an eyebrow in surprise "At 25, that's quite early isn't it?"

"Well it took 4 years to get my bachelors, then three in law school" She nodded, it might have sounded early but if you really worked hard then it was an attainable thing "I didn't take any gap years, or fail anything, so-"

"Well you make it sound easy" Rachel added lightly. Maybe this was more awkward than she'd first though.

"How about you, what did you do with your NYADA... degree, thing?" Quinn asked unsure.

"Oh, I quit" The way Rachel said that it was as if she had no real connection with the words.

Quinn's eyes shot open comically "So glad I wasn't drinking anything then" she rambled lowly. "You what?" she had to check she heard right.

"Yeah, about 5 months after we had last spoken, I just changed paths. Saw some flyers for the NY Police Academy and thought... what the hell, and here I am, 7 and a half years later" the shine in her eye as she vaguely spoke about herself joining the NYPD gave Quinn the impressions he was just as passionate about her new job... it was comforting to know, that was all.

"Well you're looking good, different clothes too" she noted lightly, the idea of High school Rachel Berry, stage sensation wanna be, strolling the streets made her laugh inside her head.

"Well yeah, these are more inconspicuous on the streets; Santana might have helped back in the beginning too" also clothes that really covered her had made her feel more secure when she walked down the streets, like Jeans, they didn't rip easy...

"Well, I'm kinda glad, for your own sake" Quinn added, Rachel didn't need any more people teasing her or picking on her in her life "What's Santana's story then?" she tried to move the conversation along.

"Well I was such a shining example she just had to follow me" Rachel joked.

"I bet" she muttered sarcastically, she could just imagine how Santana would react to that statement. Then again maybe Santana was really okay with Rachel now, seeing as they worked together. Yes, things really had changed. "What brings you down here?" she asked again. She'd heard 'warrant' but that had been the extent of it.

"Need a warrant, the case we're working on, we think we've got the guy. Santana and I have met him before, but he slipped away the first time, he's not getting away with it this time" Rachel said lowly with determination.

"Well Alex and Casey will be back any minute, I haven't been given the privilege of handling the warrants yet, so I better not step on their toes" she chuckled.

"I can wait for a little bit" Rachel conceded with a smile, she was in a rush, but not that much of a rush, she still had to make sure she presented what they had so far convincingly enough to get the warrant.

"Good..." Quinn suddenly felt nervous, though she did her best to hide it. She knew that leaving things bottled up was a bad idea; you should be open, better to try than never know, right? "Um, please forgive me if I'm being too forward, or even presumptuous but I was wondering if you wanted to go to dinner sometime"

Rachel found herself nodding before Quinn had finished the question "Yeah that would be nice, to catch up and stuff"

"Actually I meant like a... date" Quinn corrected, meekly.

"Oh" Rachel's expression dropped, she paled, she hadn't imagined that. Was that why Officer Moreno had checked her out- No Rachel was side tracking "I don't think-"

"Oh sure," Quinn cut her off, while fighting an embarrassed blush. She had to duck her head "because you're not, _you know_, or interested, sorry" she dismissed the idea almost as quickly as she had offered it.

"No... well I mean I'm not a Lesbian or have ever thought of myself that way, its just I haven't been on a date in a really long time and I don't think it would be a good idea Quinn. We almost work together and... I just don't think it would be a very good idea" Rachel tried to let her down easy, while her heart was beating wildly at the unexpected offer. But no, dating was a bad idea for Rachel Berry.

"Okay, sure, I get it, sorry for asking" Quinn rambled all her short points, and now she felt trapped. She scolded herself mentally for even putting herself out there and trying.

"No, no its fine, I'm sorry to disappoint" Rachel cringed, feeling guilty now.

"You haven't it was just a little question, an idea, no big deal" She couldn't even meet Rachel's eyes because of the humiliation, Rachel hadn't even thought about it, she'd just shot her down before her hopes could get any higher. She looked to the door as she heard voices "Oh, they're back" she sighed with relief, then grabbed her bag from under her desk "I'll see you later or something" she nodded to Rachel with a brave faux smile before rushing from the office.

"Yeah, um Quinn..." Rachel tried, she wanted to suggest a friend dinner instead, to pretend she didn't feel awkward now. Quinn had wanted to go on a date with her?! What was that all about? It was too late to ask though; Quinn was already gone, receiving odd looks from her colleagues as she squeezed past them out of the door.

"Detective Berry, what can we do for you?" Alex Cabot asked when she found the Detective still sitting in front of Quinn's desk.

"Oh, ah..." for a moment she had to remember where she was "I need a warrant."

* * *

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	4. These Boots Weren't Made For Running

**Thank you for reviewing: hope2smith, haelthy, RVFlorida, NZgleek91, conventgirlvampire, Guest BellaDora Soulmates, bigbangfan91, iloveDiannaAgron, caesaraugusta, General Mac, Guest, TVHollywoodDiva, mika-faberryluver4395, agirl00z, pierce22, LoveLight22, pgranger and gllover22**

**Posted: 25/10/13**

* * *

These Boots Weren't Made For Running.

A second body...

That's what Rachel was looking down at now, a second victim on Warner's mortuary slab; this girl couldn't be more that 10 or 11 just like the first girl. This one they'd found yesterday. Sure, they'd got that warrant, they'd searched the apartment, they'd found Toure's prints there and the first Vic's prints, they probably had the latest Vic's prints too.

They just couldn't find the damn son of a bitch; whenever they got a lead they followed it only for the trail to go cold again. It was infuriating.

Melinda Warner, the ME, gave her full detailed report, the first body had fluids, they had Toure on DNA evidence for the rape of the first girl, but nothing on this one, she was... clean. Rachel had seen dead children before, poor kids, who got messed up in the narcotics circle, but this was different, this was the next step.

Once they'd heard the full report, in person they left, and headed back to the precinct. When they got there Lopez and Tutuola weren't their either, Rachel just assumed they were following another lead, one that might leave a trail.

She was just slinging her black leather jacket over the back of her chair when the other two partners walked in. the leather had been Santana's idea obviously; Rachel was still Vegan... most of the time.

"Where were you two?" the junior Latina detective asked.

"Getting the full report on the second body from Warner" Benson explained from standing in front of her own desk. She was just about to start perusing the paper work in front of her. "What about you?"

"Third body" Santana sighed. Olivia and Rachel looked at her shocked. "Same M.O." she said, to confirm it was the third body for this one case.

"Third?" Rachel had to ask, just to check.

"Yeah" Santana dropped herself into her seat. "It was called in just after you and Benson left. This one was in the system, 8 years old, been missing 4 months" she rubbed her temples with her thumb and middle finger "We didn't find the murder weapon this time" she added reluctantly as she put her feet up on her desk "I had them check everywhere outside for where he might throw it away, even the street drains. They found some blood on the inside of one of the grates, so he might have chucked it, but with the heavy rain last night, it would have been carried away"

"This is too fast, it was over a week between the first and the second, but it's been a day" Olivia said disbelieving. Their FBI criminal profiler, George Huang, would be having a field day with this one.

"He's not a methodical serial killer; he's just impulsive, aggressive." Rachel concluded, she knew this guy and his criminal ways, or she thought she had before he made his crimes even worse. "We've still got him for the first, with the DNA, but the second was clean" she reported, letting Tutuola and Lopez know one part of Dr Warner's report.

"So we find him, make him fess up to the other two, and then we got him"

"Yeah right Lopez, it was so easy last time" Rachel snapped at her sarcastically. The case was beginning to grate. Any other Perp they would be feeling different, but this guy, they'd failed the first time, that's why it was getting to them "Be great if we could just find him"

"Well prepare yourselves" The authoritative voice of Captain Cragen sounded from behind Berry, she turned and was a little thrown by the way he was dressed.

"What's with the uniform?" Lopez asked, always unafraid to just ask.

"I'm appealing to the public on information on our Perp's whereabouts" he told the team of his decision. If they were going to get close they needed everyone looking out for him.

"Oh you're just going to let them know there's a child molesting, drug trafficking, serial killer is on the loose" Tutuola asked sarcastically. That sounded like a fine plan that wouldn't just freak the public out and get any unfortunate look-a-likes beaten up.

"Not quite, we've got a cover story that will subtly inform the public not to get close" The captain further explained.

"That's gonna be one hell of a story" Santana joined her partner in on the sarcasm.

"Well wish me luck" Cragen muttered, not really appreciating the confidence his team were having in his latest plan. But since this perp had stepped up the game they needed to find him and stop him.

"Good luck" was said by the four team members, all with different levels of enthusiasm.

Once they were left in a silence something hit Santana "Oh god we're gonna have to tell the girl's parents" she breathed. It honestly had to be the worst part of the job, there was no easy way to do it, they were going to deliver the worst news they could to the parent of a missing child.

"You sit this one out, me and Liv have got it" Her partner volunteered, Santana and Rachel were extra stressed from this case, and it wasn't just the fact that children were the victims of rape and murder here.

"You're going to go now?" Rachel asked, very surprised, seeing as they'd all only just got back.

"Sooner is better than later" Olivia shrugged, sadly. She wasn't sure she appreciated being volunteered but she figured her partner's ex-partner could do with a breather, still being a Rookie with SVU. "You two man the phones."

"As soon as Cragen makes the announcement there might be a storm of calls, many of them looking for a reward with any information they think they have" Tutuola warned as he and Olivia headed out of the office area and out towards the elevators.

"Yeah we know the drill" Santana called back. She then stretched in her chair and checked the time on her watch. She sighed, they'd been working hard but it was still early. She got up and walked to the coffee pot, not far from her desk "You want some crappy coffee?" she half heartedly asked, its wasn't great but she didn't have to leave to get it.

"No thanks I'm all right" Rachel muttered absently as she checked over some of the paper work she'd already checked through, she just hoped that she'd missed something.

"How's your case going?" The new voice got Rachel to tear her eyes of the paper.

"Quinn?" She smiled immediately, it was good to see her again, seeing how awkward things had become lately. But finally Quinn was out of the DA's office and alone, with a full 4 paper cup holder, in one of her skirt suits, her purse slung over her shoulder, and her mid-length hair left loose, framing her face. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh my god, you have real coffee" Santana muttered as she rushed over and took a cup without even asking.

"Yeah, supposed to be a bribe," Quinn furrowed her brow as she looked around the empty floor "but it's kinda empty at the moment"

"Everyone following leads and stuff, hectic as always" Rachel explained. Quinn offered the tray forward and she took a cup "Thank you" she put the cup down for now, while Santana was already drinking the scolding brew. "So, what are you doing here?" she asked again seeing as Santana had interrupted before.

"Taking some advice from Novak. This case is more sensitive than some so she said I should come down here, be a witness. That way when my day in court comes I'm not alien to the situation" she tried to explain simply but the wordy lawyer she had become made her a bit of a Berry type rambler. "I mean, I've been present for the investigation of rape cases, and even a child rape case-"

"But this is brutal" Rachel cut her short, ironically.

"And I heard the guy you're after you and Santana have been involved with before." She added, it had secretly peaked her interest, she still didn't know Rachel or Santana's inspiration for joining the force, in the first place.

"Thanks for the coffee Q." Santana said after another cautious sip "So I heard you're gay now?" she said casually as she put the cup down. She didn't see Quinn's eyes widen in worry.

"Santana" Rachel said lowly.

"What?" The Latina shrugged. Just then Santana's desk phone Started ringing, she picked up the handset and answers "Lopez, SVU"

Quinn just looked to Rachel concerned, more than concerned "You told her?" she whispered across Benson and Berry's desk.

Rachel quickly shook her head, of course Quinn might think that. She waved a hand at Quinn, gesturing for her to follow her, they both walked out of the side door into a fairly empty corridor "No, no, I ah, we met Officer Moreno" she explained in a hushed tone once they were out of Santana's ear shot.

"Oh" Quinn sighed in both realisation and relief.

"Yeah... I wouldn't tell her _that_, that's between us" Rachel reassured her with a half smile.

"Good... because I still feel like an idiot" Quinn muttered with a more reluctant half smile of her own.

"Don't, just don't, okay? You don't need to." Rachel reassured her old friend. And she really believed that, Quinn shouldn't feel humiliated, anyone could have asked Rachel out and she would have automatically said no, and she had her reasons.

"Okay, I ah-" Quinn was quickly cut off before she could make another suggestion.

"Berry!" Santana's voice filled the floor "Where the hell-" she stopped when she walked out the door behind Rachel "Oh there you are. We might have a lead, has Cragen talked to the press yet?"

"Not yet, we might be able to make him hold back" Rachel doubted he'd have made the statement just yet. Santana disappeared through the door, making Rachel and Quinn follow on instinct. It was time to snap into action, like they had done so many times before.

"What's going on?" Quinn asked, mostly because she was there to observe and stay up to date.

"Cragen's appealing to the public" Rachel said over her shoulder as she headed back to her desk to grab her jacket.

"Well an officer just called in, she sounded pretty sure she spotted Toure, she and her partner are staying on location until we get there, we might have him" detective Lopez added as she too grabbed her jacket and the post-it off her desk.

Rachel was halfway to the elevator with Santana, Quinn still following when she stopped in her tracks and swiftly turned around "Oh right. Um, Quinn, could you call Cragen, tell him to hold off, like, an hour, we might have him before he has to make a statement. Tell him we'll call him with an update."

"Oh, sure" Quinn said as she just watched them run.

"Thanks, his cell number's on my desk" Rachel called back before she slipped into the elevator.

Realising this needed to be done quickly Quinn went to Rachel's desk and found Cragen's work Cell number on a post-it stuck to the edge of Rachel's computer screen. She went to pick up the phone when she paused just for a moment. She'd spotted the photo's on Rachel's desk, mainly the one of Officer Berry and Officer Lopez in front of their patrol car. It made her smile, seeing them both in their uniforms, in a funny pose like out of a bad 70's cop show.

And then she snapped back into action. She had a call to make.

Q~Q

"Where did they say?" Rachel asked, her eyes scoured the streets as Santana slowed her driving.

"Said he was in that restaurant there- wait... he's coming out" Santana was almost shaky, finally they had him in their sights "That's him, right?" she had to ask, just in case she was seeing things.

Rachel saw him standing, looking around, hands in his suit pant pockets, shades covering half his face. "Even with those damn sunglasses I wouldn't miss that face, let's go" Rachel instructed. He wasn't going to slip away this time.

Lopez pulled the car up against the sidewalk, behind Toure's back as he walked along. She cut the engine and casually got out of the car, Berry doing the same, neither detective taking their eyes of their perp. The closed their doors, Rachel walked round the car to join her former partner on the side walk as they closed in. His pace slowed as he went to cross the road, Rachel and Santana tried to stay in conspicuous but when he turned his head to look up the road, his eyes caught them, then fell on them...

All three froze, as he just stared at them and they stared back-

And then he ran, straight across the road, snapping the detectives into action.

"Shit, I'm wearing the wrong shoes for this" Lopez seethed as she blindly darted across the road after him "Stop, Police!" she yelled though it was partially drowned out by a car horn blaring as they braked to not hit her.

Rachel alternatively ran back and jumped in the car. They always made sure they both had a key in case they ever needed it when they were sharing a work sedan.

"You're not getting away this time, scum" Rachel growled lowly to herself as she switched the ignition on the car and kicked it into gear. She switched on the dashboard siren and pulled out of the space, doing a U-turn in the road, and heading back a block.

"Stop, Police!" Santana yelled again, but obviously Toure wasn't going to stop. So, really, yelling that was letting people know to get out of the way "Move" she yelled when a few people didn't. Ahead of her she spotted him dart down an alley way. She didn't even know what had happened to Rachel, and she was pretty sure if they had a sprint race they were pretty evenly matched so it wasn't like the brunette was going to get left behind.

As she rounded the corner she was just in time to see him climb a chain link padlocked gate "I'm not in the mood for this" she panted out between ground teeth before attacking the gate, using the padlock and chain as a foot hold as she grasped at the chain link with a talon like grip.

Once her boots were back on solid ground, on the other side of the gate, she was sprinting again across a parking lot after the bald headed, dark skinned man. She was closing in she was sure of it.

10 feet now separated them, he was about to dart round the corner of a building when his feet were knocked out from beneath him and he fell to the floor. Santana slowed her pace just a little before she basically tackled him before he could run again.

"Bitch let me go" he yelped as he struggled. The way he spoke and acted you wouldn't think he was nothing more than a drug running kid at the most.

She grabbed her handcuffs of her belt and captured his wrists "Jayden Toure, you are under arrest for rape and murder of an 11 year old girl" she was still panting heavily "You have the right to remain silent. If you give up that right, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney before any questioning if you wish. If you cannot afford one, one will be provided for you by the state"

"I know, whore, you did this to me before" he yelled as he tried to not get his face smashed against the concrete ground.

"Well this time will be the last time, prick" She seethed angrily. The anger mostly for him getting away with his crimes last time, and a little for him making her run in these boots.

"What took you so long?" Santana heard a cocky voice ask her. She looked up to find Rachel smirking down at her, collapsible impact baton in her hand, the instrument of pain she'd used to knock out Toure's legs from beneath him.

"Sorry thought I'd take the direct route" she answered sarcastically. She stood up and tried to yank the Perp to his feet.

"My leg, you broke my leg, bitch!" he yelled as he refused to get up, he was probably playing hurt so he could make a run for it when their defences were down, that wasn't likely to happen though

"Oh don't be such a whiny baby" Santana spat "Get up" she yanked again, this time forcing him up, onto his knees, the rest was up to him, if he didn't want another whack from the baton. "Where the hell did you get to?"

"Went to head him off" she pointed to their dull silver sedan parked up next to the curb not far from them.

"And you just knew where he'd end up" she eyes the shorter detective sceptically.

"Lucky guess" she shrugged while she collapsed the baton and slipped it back into its holster on the back of her belt, next to her cuffs. "I called a squad car too to pick him up and take him to the precinct" she didn't want him in the back of their normal car, he belonged behind bars, even when he was in a car. "And you didn't finish reading him his rights"

"He don't deserve any rights. Bastard should pay just for making me run" Santana mumbled lowly before sighing and continuing "You can decide at any time to exercise these rights and not answer any questions or make any statements..."

Q~Q

Cragen, Berry, Lopez and Councillor Fabray were all watching Toure through the one way glass when Benson and Tutuola got back for delivering the bad news. "What's going on?" Detective Benson asked, wondering what they were all looking at.

"You two better watch your backs, Berry and Lopez got him" Cragen warned in the most playful tone he could.

"They what?" Fin scoffed, not that it was hard to believe, just a surprise and a relief that they had.

The captain just sung their praises a little more "They got him before I had to release the statement"

"An officer witnessed him in a restaurant downtown, it was just time and place coincidence" Rachel down played it, secretly surprising Quinn.

"Besides I did all the running" Santana asked, half jokingly, half wanting some sympathy... she got none.

"Captain, with your permission I'd like to talk to him" Rachel asked, getting everyone back on task. She really wanted o prove herself to her new team, she wasn't afraid either. On top of that she knew his ways and Santana had a temper when it came to this guy, so she wouldn't be a good choice.

"No lawyer?" Olivia raised a sceptical brow.

"Said he didn't need one." Quinn shrugged, she'd been witness to that much, then she'd stayed around and watched him stew for the past hour while Santana and Rachel cooled off, and he could get wound up, before they interrogated him.

"You want to go in alone?" Cragen asked.

"Yes sir, he's... easily distracted," she figured that was the best way to describe it "It's better if there's only one in the room. Of course if you feel at any point a second person would be better, I understand" she added politely, she just really wanted to get this guy, and she thought she might just have the ammo to get him to fess.

He thought about it for a moment "Okay. But we'll all be out here, if you need us."

"Sure, if I feel like I need it, Santana knows my signal" Rachel said "I'll just need a file off my desk first" she added before heading back along the corridor so she could retrieve it.

"Signal?" Benson asked her partners former partner.

Santana didn't make eye contact with her; she was still staring down Toure through the one way glass. "Yeah we decided to have something so we could tell when we want assistance, or just want to throw the perp" she explained to the group "I'll take my chair, put it in the corner and sit down, she'll lean against a wall and drum her fingers against it... sounds kinda stupid I guess" Lopez shrugged, it had worked for them, but everyone had their own ways of doing things.

"No, it's interesting" Olivia assured her.

"We'd normally just rush the place when Stabler tried to kill them" Tutuola half joked

"Okay, I'm going in" Rachel let them know, so they'd stay quiet while she the door was open. She paused for a second, her hand on the handle, there were 5 people in her audience, she'd never had more than 3, not in this part of her life. This time they would be judging though, to see how she handled things.

She took a breath, everything could be riding on this, he didn't want a lawyer yet but he would. She flipped the file open and looked down at it, then she turned the handle suddenly and pushed the door open abruptly before walking in, keeping her hands on the file in her hands.

"Hey, you gonna tell me why the hell I'm here" he asked as soon as she was in the room. She didn't give him the attention as she shut the door behind her.

"I believe Detective Lopez told you that when she arrested you" She muttered absently before closing the file and dropping it onto the table.

"Yeah, Lopez," he smirked "how's her hand?"

Rachel stepped back, she was going to go for a pacing and circling routine with this one "Don't know," she shrugged nonchalantly "how's your face?"

The question quickly wiped that smirk off his face "You know you can't just pin some shit on me" he sounded so sure. "Didn't work before."

She slammed her palms on the desk, standing opposite him, and growled her words out lowly "We may not have got you for killing those kids 2 years ago, but I sure as hell ain't gonna let you get away with this one, you scum."

"I didn't kill anyone" he sneered up at her.

She flicked the file open and pulled out the three mortuary photo's they had, the third victims photo had been sent open in the past hour by the ME. She pointed at the three girls, and watched him, to see his reaction "They died trafficking for you, you made them carry those drugs, then when they tried to get free you killed them to teach all your little drug runners a lesson" she accused.

"Never touched any drugs, you didn't prove it before, you're not gonna prove it now"

"We'll get you for this, we've got your DNA" for the first one, anyway, but he didn't need to know all the details he knew what he was under arrest for, if he was smart enough he'd figure it out. He'd go down for the other two too, if Rachel had anything to do with it.

"If you had my DNA I'd be locked up" he said confidently, and yes they could just lock him up, but it wasn't enough. "Where's your pretty partner, Detective Lopez?" his gaze bypassed Berry and went straight for the one way mirror. "We had fun the last time the three of us were in the same room, remember?" he chuckled sinisterly. Off course she remembered, Santana almost got suspended for punching the guy, Rachel had managed to pull her off before she went ballistic, and then other cops had come in to help too. "Where is she? I bet she's out there. I bet they're all out there" He waved at the people he couldn't see before pushed his chair up and got out of his seat, Rachel wasn't scared, she just watched him as he walked round the room and stopped in front of the mirror. "You having fun, watching the midget detective try and grill me" he laughed. Rachel had heard enough height jokes for a life time, she didn't let them get to her often, especially when it was a perp just trying to get a rise from her "Or is this just a warm up huh? You out there Detective Lopez, I'm ready for round two!"

Rachel walked over to the door, opened it and then stepped outside. "There's no one there, come see for yourself." She suggested lightly. He thought about it... then he just snorted at her and went back to his seat. Rachel went back into the room and shut the door again.

Cragen, Lopez, Tutuola, Olivia and Quinn all let out a breath once the door was secure again.

"I hate it when she does that" Santana muttered to herself. Rachel did that far too often, but only when she was confident they wouldn't take a look. Olivia smiled to herself; that had been one of her tactics before. She was liking her new partner more and more.

"You're not pinning this one on me" he said as he actually sat down.

"We've got you" she shrugged, making her comment confident yet light. She started walking, around behind him, the circling technique.

"Then I'd already be locked up" he repeated his point for earlier.

"We've got you for the first, but I'll make damn well sure you go down for the other two too" she grumbled as he walked past him.

"I don't know what you're talking about" he tried again. he was good a 'playing' dumb.

She stopped in front of him again, she pointed to the morgue pictures of the girls faces "You killed these girls, after you violated them" she snapped "These were someone's babies, someone's little sisters" his head snapped up, his eyes meeting hers, which were hiding a secret "How is your sister, by the way?" she asked in a more relaxed tone.

"You leave her out of this" he growled.

"Well the Narc police caught her dealing again. Now..." she pulled the chair out, and took a seat "I don't think she's gonna get out of this one, and once she's in the pen, I dunno, it might reach ears that her big brother is a kiddy fiddler." she planted the suggestion "Just think of all the moms, in there, who'd love a little revenge" she hoped if she kept planting the seeds he'd break. Rachel could see it now, Toure was starting to sweat. "Maybe she can relate though, maybe this" she leant forward and clenched her teeth as she seethed and pointed yet again to the faces of the victims, that he was doing his best not to look at. "Maybe she knows what this is like, maybe she's her big bros bitch."

He stood up, making Rachel recoil, but merely form self defence, not fright "That's my sister, she's all I got, and I'm all she got!" he yelled down at her, anger in his words and his eyes.

She just smirked up at him "Well, she aint got you anymore, she's got nothing, but a cell waiting for her, just like you" her words were almost sung, mockingly. "Only difference is she might actually get out, unscathed, but that's up to you." She raised an eyebrow, all the cards were on the table now. The next move was up to him

He set his mouth firmly shut, weighed his options "Bitch" he muttered, then sat down. "I want my lawyer."

Q~Q

"He lawyered up?" Alex asked as she joined the group in the office. They had two uniformed officers watching Toure while he spoke with his lawyer, just in case his own lawyer wasn't even safe..

"Yeah, but we've already got him" Olivia said confidently from her desk.

"So he confessed" Alex was confused. If he'd confessed to the second two murders why did he have a lawyer?

"No but it won't take much in court, and we've already got him for the first rape and murder" Quinn explained to her aunt. She then looked to Detective Berry who was sat on her desk. "How did you know about his sister?"

"Yeah was that stuff true, I thought we lost track of her" Santana added, she was in her chair at her own desk. Toure's sister had come up a few times in their career but they hadn't heard anything in a year or so.

"No, it's true. Tony came through with the info, she was arrested two days ago, and she can't get out if it this time, she was peddling when they caught her, and high. So he came through an hour before I went in there, he wants this guy to go down as bad as we do" Rachel smiled triumphantly before it fell again. Things had fallen into place so well, only it was a little too late, had they caught him sooner they would have saved 2 lives. And if they'd convicted him 2 years ago they would have saved 3.

"Well we can't get him for the old crimes, double jeopardy, but it's not going to take much" Quinn assured them, he would go down for this. "We'll get him in open court." She'd witnessed the interrogation so she felt confident to say that.

"Damn" Santana mumbled "I wish the death penalty hadn't been abolished, scum like him should be getting the needle"

"We got him Santana. And as soon as he's locked up and it slips what he did... he deserves that more" She said with a hard tone, making it sound like the words had little effect on her.

Santana looked at Rachel with some worry "Dark Berry, very dark"

"Sorry, it's just been a tough perp to deal with" she sighed.

Olivia and Fin shared a concerned look, it wasn't a good sign if either of the junior detectives were having trouble "A child molester?"

"Not exactly, just that we could have got him so long ago" Rachel explained. She wasn't stupid. She knew what this job would entail, and she knew how to not implicate that she was in anyway incapable.

Q~Q

"Are we done for today?" It was getting late, dark outside, and Rachel had just seen Toure's Lawyer speak to Alex and then leave. Surely there wasn't much more they could do today.

"Yes." The ADA sighed, it wouldn't be the simplest of case, but hardly the worst either. "He's being held overnight, tomorrow we'll be in court to discuss where he stays while awaiting trial. With the evidence for the first victim and his likeliness to flee, I'm sure he will be held with no bail" she assured the junior detective "Good work today, Detective Berry. Shame I missed it, but Quinn told me it was really something" she nodded before slipping away, catching the next elevator down.

Santana was ready to leave after a long day too. She met Rachel by the elevator and hit the button. "Hey, I'm picking Brittany up from the studio, and then we're going out. Do you want a ride home first?" she offered.

"No thanks, it would be easier if I just got a taxi" Rachel didn't want to be a nuisance, she never did.

"You will actually get a taxi right" Santana asked cautiously. After so many years it was almost a horrible inside joke. Rachel could take it though... not that either of them were laughing at the situation, just that Rachel knew Santana cared as she still remembered the details of that night.

"Yes." She sighed.

"Okay... and you're okay to go home by yourself?" Santana checked as the elevator arrived on their floor.

Rachel rolled her eyes."I'm not 5, I'm sure I'll be fine" she pushed Santana, encouraging her back into the empty coach "Now go"

"Okay, see ya later" she smiled, looking forward to her date night with Brittany. Friday was the end of the week... for most, and as it was for Brittany, that made it date night.

Seeing the other two members of the team heading their way Rachel's hand caught the elevator door, holding it for them. "Good work today Berry" Tutuola complimented.

"Thanks Fin" she smiled. Today, though horrible like all the rest, had been a good day.

"See you Monday morning, Rach" her partner nodded. At least they hoped it would be Monday morning.

"See ya, Liv" Rachel smiled as she released the door, letting the elevator go. She then went back to her desk to get her jacket and lock up her desk. As soon as she stepped into the pen she found Quinn sitting at her desk, looking at the one of the photo's. She didn't know it but it was the one of just her and Santana, wit the news paper clipping tucked in the corner "Hey, I thought you left already, what are you still doing here?" Her voice seemed to startled Quinn, the smile on her face from looking at the photo, wiped off

"Oh hey, yeah." She tried to put the photo back smoothly but it she was a little clumsy. Luckily she didn't damage it. "I was just waiting for you, I was wondering if you want to go out for a drink?" Quinn suggested lightly, holding her nerves back

"Thanks but no... I don't feel like drinking" Rachel admitted, somewhat honestly.

Quinn didn't let the outright rejection get her down... again."Well I don't feel like going home"

Rachel thought about it for a moment. She did need more friends, and she used to be great friends with Quinn... "Would this be like a date drink?"

She wasn't looking for that sort of connection with Rachel, not now, Rachel had said no so she'd drop it. she wouldn't mind trying to reconnect as friends "No, just two friends who kinda work together, going out for a drink before dragging their sorry asses' home... what do you say?"

Rachel smiled, doing something on a Friday night instead of just dragging her sorry ass home did sound like a decent idea. "Okay then, you're on, but I'm buying the first round"

"Fine by me" Quinn tried not to grin.

C\_/

"Berry drinking a beer" Quinn raised an eyebrow, she didn't remember Rachel being the beer drinking type. Though the last time she had seen Rachel she had been 20, and after the 'blame it on the alcohol' week Rachel had never drunk again, swearing not to until it was legal.

"Hey I have a glass" Rachel excused. The pair sat at a bar, in a bar, and not a cop bar. Just a quite, fancy bar with a just as fancy restaurant through the next room. The bar was still quiet, peaceful. A hum of chatter flowed from the other room, making it feel warm though.

"I know, just didn't think I'd see you with a beer" Quinn muttered before taking a short sip of her own chosen drink.

"What about you and your..." She looked at the glass in front of Quinn, not sure the specific label on the liquid inside "white wine" she decided was safest, Pinot? Chardonnay? All the same thing to her.

"Yeah I don't know anything about wine either" Quinn admitted, it was all the same to her too, hence why she asked for 'the house white'.

"Why did you ask me out?" Rachel asked suddenly. She wanted to cut the tension by cutting straight to the chase.

Quinn nearly choked on the sip. As she cleared her throat and put the class back down she thought back... right back. "Do you remember that last night I stayed over?"

"... Yeah" Rachel shrugged. Yeah, she remembered, it had been the last time she truly felt safe, because 24 hours after that moment her life was turned upside down.

"That was the worst night sleep of my life." She chuckled nervously, she twirled the class's spine between her thumb and fore finger, adding to the proof of the lawyer's nervousness "When we met at the train station earlier that day it finally hit me. All our visits before had left me... feeling something," she swallowed thickly as she continued to stare at the glass "and it wasn't until I saw you that day, when I couldn't help but smile so brightly... I realised, I had feelings for you. And sharing a bed that night... I just realised how much I wanted to hold you" Rachel had been watching her the entire time, Quinn could see that out of the corner of her eye, but finally Rachel looked away "Sorry if I'm embarrassing you"

"You're not... but I am finding all that hard to believe," Rachel scoffed, right now staring at the glass in front of them seemed like the safest thing to do. She ran her fingers over the condensation wiping it away. "I mean you never spoke to me again, I think I got one email saying you got back to Yale safe and that was it. Even when I emailed you with apologies thinking I'd messed up-"

"I'm sorry, I didn't want you to think that, I just... it hurt you know, every message, just reminded me that we were friends, nothing more" she explained guiltily.

"Why didn't you just say?" Rachel asked... though she wasn't sure of how she would have reacted of Quinn had told her back then either.

Quinn just scoffed at the suggestion. Of course it wasn't that easy. "Because... how do you tell someone who you haven't always treated right that you have feelings for them, someone who never deserved all the tormenting, and someone who's... who is the best friend you don't deserve"

"I see" Rachel just took a swig of her bottle-to-glass beer.

"Besides" she rushed "You're probably dating someone, or even married by now, so it was stupid to ask"

"It wasn't stupid" she didn't like the idea of someone asking her out to be a stupid thing "And for what it's worth, I'm single... have been for a long time"

"Oh... I see" she said, partially copying Rachel from earlier "Wow, this couldn't be worse 'let try and be friends again' conversation" The lawyer just noted sarcastically

Rachel just chuckled and confidently looked to her old friend "It's not that bad... if your feelings were from so long ago, how come you just decide to ask me out? After 7 years? Don't really get that either" she pushed. She wanted it out in the open, besides she was great at interrogating people. Of Quinn didn't fess up now, she would another time.

Quinn let out a long steadying breath. "Because I still like you... I didn't realise just how much until you walked back into my life, but I do" her voice became tiny, losing all the strength in it "So with you here... I thought I'd finally find out what would happen if I just asked... no matter how scared I was"

Now Rachel just felt guilty. "Sorry to disappoint you Quinn."

Quinn shook her head and looked to her bar mate "You didn't disappoint me. I didn't really expect for you to say yes, I just didn't think you'd turn me down that fast" she laughed, mostly at her own humiliation.

"Well I'm sorry for that too, I-ah... it was a shock." She chuckled back.

"Yeah, I know I really sprung that question on you, but when you think of someone... so often and then they're in front of you, it kinda spills from your mouth before you can think" She stopped when she suddenly realised what she said. She hadn't even drunk that much. Time to move on "That's no excuse though, I mean we're barely reacquainted"

"Well that's what this is for, I'm sure Santana could do with the time without me hanging around anyway" Rachel excused.

"Santana?" Quinn quirked an eyebrow. She knew they were friends, and that was weird enough.

"Oh, we live together" Rachel said like it was nothing. It was the norm to her so she hadn't really thought about it.

Her face creased in confusion "What happened to Brittany?"

"She lives there too" Rachel explained "We moved in together when... well when I started turning my life around. We moved in together with Kurt, then when I ditched NYADA Kurt ditched me, and he moved out. So it's been Me, Santana and Brittany since" she smiled... then it dropped again "I really am sorry I shot you down that quickly" she just could let go of the guilt.

"Its fine, I get it, why would I even assume you could be interested in going out with me" Quinn dismissed, a new subject that they stuck with would have been really great around now.

Rachel narrowed her eyes on the lawyer "You sound like you're being harsh on yourself." She wondered if Quinn was trying to pull a sympathy car, because, seriously? That was not a Quinn Fabray thing to do. "I turned you down, no big deal. There's plenty of many better options out there Quinn"

"That's not the point" Quinn just muttered.

"Have you seen you? Or met you? Any, um, woman?" she questioned as she peered at Quinn, she didn't want to be presumptuous. Quinn just nodded shyly "Any woman would be lucky to have you Quinn"

"_Doesn't matter when your sights are set on only one" _The blonde woman's mind whispered the words she couldn't and wouldn't dare say out loud. "So what's Brittany doing these days?" New subject.

"She's good, she owns a dance studio" Rachel said, nonchalantly.

Another eye brow had to be raised "Owns?"

"Yeah." Rachel nodded.

"In the city?" Same eyebrow was staying up there somehow.

"Yes." The detective laughed that time.

The eyebrow finally fell as the eyes widened. "Wow."

"I know." Rachel agreed, she didn't imagine that happening either. Sure Brittany was talented, but she wasn't really a business woman

"How... just how?" Quinn really couldn't fathom it.

"Well..." Rachel took a breath as she thought back "Santana and I helped her get the loan to buy, yes I really mean buy, a place, we checked it out and found it was a fair investment. So now she has three studios spaces and makes money renting the other spaces, as well as teaching all types of dance, all levels, like kids and adult, beginners to advanced, that type of thing." Quinn gave her another sceptical look "It sounds more hectic than it is. She's actually doing really well. She has an accountant and an administrative assistant that me and Santana helped her hire too, and they're her good friends"

Quinn was glad to hear they'd helped support Brittany, she was the one girl Quinn secretly really worried for when they all got out into the big wide world. "Yeah you don't want someone screwing over someone like Brittany"

"Santana would murder them and I'd be without my old partner" Rachel joked. It also prompted more stories though.

"How was it, working with her like that?" she had to know. Cheerleader Santana had been a little crazy most days. Give her some authority and a gun, Quinn couldn't imagine it was... boring.

"... Weird, but we've been the best of friends, she's been the best friend I've ever had. I know that's hard to believe too" Rachel chuckled, yet again. this wasn't as extremely awkward as she thoguth it would be.

Quinn felt the jealousy but didn't let it get to her. She should have been Rachel's best friend, but she only had herself to blame. "Yeah, Santana and you getting along? But I guess if I'd hung around you might not have become friends with her... but who knows"

"Yeah who knows" Rachel agreed lightly "...I've missed you" she admitted with ease

"I've missed you too" Quinn smiled warmly back. "And that's all my fault" So much had changed, but they could catch up on lost time now, they had another chance at friendship.

"No, it's okay, things happen and... lives change. You've done so well for yourself Quinn, if I'd still been bugging you to visit me every five minutes you might not have got to study as hard as you did and become a lawyer like you did" Rachel pointed out. Besides she wasn't sure how she would have handled Quinn being her friend during the aftermath of her attack. Quinn could be stubborn, sometimes demanding, at least old Quinn could, she would have got the truth from her. Rachel didn't think she could deal with anyone else knowing. And if Quinn knew there was no way she'd would have feelings for her... not that Rachel wanted her to have feelings for her.

"Yeah, maybe" Quinn just shrugged.

After another swig they moved subject yet again, just to get a rough outline of what they'd missed "So Alex is..?"

"My mom's sister" Quinn nodded "But when my mom married Russell, he kinda pulled her away from her family, wanted all her attention on him, and me and my sister at times." Rachel didn't miss the way Quinn called her dad by his first name "So back in high school my mom kicked Russell out and went downhill with the drinking. Then one day my aunt managed to show up and help my mom sort her life out, all before she returned here. We didn't even know Alex had been in witness protection, we were _that_ estranged from my mother's family" she still sounded disbelieving. Rachel had recently heard from her partner a little about the senior and non senior ADA's, including that Cabot was once in witness protection.

She hadn't known about Judy though, why had Quinn not shared that with her back then. "Oh, Quinn, I'm so sorry. I didn't know things had gotten that bad"

"It's fine, to be honest... I'd tried, you know? Back in senior year I tried to get her to stop drinking, I even dared tip half of the booze away as she sat their sipping from a crystal glass. She slapped me, then apologised and we never spoke of it again" she was quite for a moment, just a moment though as she remember that slap. "When I went off to college I was so relieved to be away from it, I just never thought about it. I didn't even know about Alex helping her at first, I barely remembered Alex from my childhood anyway, but... well you know the saying 'It's not always what you know, but who you know'?"

"Yeah" Rachel nodded. Connections were great things, once they were made across the force she and Santana had been sure to keep them secure, like the guys in the evidence archive.

"Well, I got in contact, asked if a job was going, over 2 years ago when she returned to the DA's office. But she said there wasn't but put in a good word for me elsewhere, until 6 months ago when a vacancy did open up." If she was honest she actually preferred the cases they faced now. She'd been working in family court before, seeing so many unwanted kids pass through that room, and then the occasional kid with the arguing parents who were trying to buy the affection of their child. Somewhere in the middle Quinn felt she could relate to those kids. "But since she got me that first job we quickly became good friends, she's almost like the big sister mine wasn't. She even let me move in with her."

"You're still living with her?" Rachel asked casually, she wasn't going to judge, obviously.

"Yeah, I mean I'm looking for my own place but I'm working so many hours and so is Alex, we just need a place to crash each night" she explained.

"It's kind of like that for me and San, only I'm sure she'd really like to separate from work by me not being there" Rachel laughed lightly, almost nervously, but she covered it well.

"Why would you think that?" Quinn furrowed her brow.

"Oh come on, we're nearly 29, she doesn't need a roommate when she's living with her girlfriend. I mean, sure me and Brittany get along great but... you know" she shrugged "if I spent more time there I would think about moving on but I barley eat and sleep there" just like Quinn then.

"Yeah, I know exactly what you're talking about"

* * *

**Let us know what you think... I think...**


	5. Trail

**Thanks for reviewing: RVFlorida, angela1174, bigbangfan91, TVHollywoodDiva, GoofyTexan, mika-faberryluver4395, healthy, NZgleek91, pgranger, Guest, Devin Jaste **(For ch1&4)**, Guest, Guest, Kutee **(For Ch1,2,3&4)**, gllover22, rm06, OutOfNoWhereHereIAm, Loner-wolf, iloveDiannaAgron, Gleelover47, General Mac, MissyC, BellaDora Soulmates and ccvt14.**

**Its quoted from the show that SVU deal with sex crimes, child abuse, and child abandonment... just if anyone wanted to know.**

**Sorry for my longer absence... :/**

**Posted: 10/11/13**

* * *

Trail

The 16th Precinct  
Monday, December 7th

It had been a couple of months since they caught up with their old perp, Toure, but it only felt like a couple of weeks. The past two months had been full of all types of cases, some with more urgent time limits on them. The longest they had worked non-stop was 3 days, Brittany had been amazing, checking in on her girlfriend, and her roommate and the rest of the team both evenings, bringing them all supplies. Rachel already knew how lucky Santana was before they joined SVU but now there was no doubt of just how amazing Brittany was for her girlfriend. Rachel wouldn't admit it, but she was just a little jealous.

On the other side of things the team had built bridges of friendship too, even though they spent so much time together with work they still found time in the week to be social together and frequent a cop bar or two a week. Sometimes Rachel found herself with just her partner, sometimes the entire team. She quickly found that their Captain didn't drink, he was an ex-drunk and had attended AA meetings until he was confidently clean. That knowledge just begged the question 'Why did Cragen keep a bottle of gin in his office?'

Also Rachel had strengthened her friendship with Quinn. Santana and Brittany had been there too but with Rachel distracted by a new old friend they had been making the most of that too without feeling any guilt.

Rachel and Quinn's rekindled friendship was uneasy at first, there was still the tension from all of Quinn's confessions but they got past them, or at least pretended to. Even now Rachel thought it was incredible that Quinn could have such feelings for her, or that Quinn was even a lesbian, it was like she didn't know her, like Quinn was an all different person... until they talked, and the young woman she had made friends with while in college was there, still smart, fun, kind, no longer her former fake high school self.

"They've got a body, sewage treatment plant" Cragen's voice woke Rachel from her day dream at her desk.

"And they called us?" Rachel furrowed her brow as she looked to her partner opposite. She could only imagine how the victim had been found. Maybe some woman was attacked and raped, and it had only got worse for them ending in a body dump

"Benson, Berry" The captain ordered, seeing as Fin and Santana were following leads on another case; several reports of a man exposing him in Central Park... like that unfortunately hadn't heard that one before.

"On it, Captain" Benson called back as she and Berry snapped into action.

Q~Q

"Victim's a white male, late teens early 20's" A uniformed Officer reported the initial findings as he walked Rachel through the sewage treatment room towards where the body had been laid out. The room was like a warehouse with several pools and pipes running through it, each 'pool' in the floor was treating the sewage, removing all the toxic substances to turn it into clean water again. "Looks like something's been shoved up his, uh, you know," the male officer continued awkwardly "Figured we should call you guys."

"Good call" Rachel complimented and held back the sarcasm and the eye role. "What kind of security does this place have?" She asked.

"It's locked up on nights and weekends but anyone with a pocket knife could break in" he explained, then scoffed "I mean, who steals sewage?"

She avoided his light hearted talking and just kept searching for answers. Benson was already talking with some employees, the one's who'd found the body, not far from where it was now. "Any luck ID-ing the victim?" The shorter SVU detective asked.

"No wallet, no clothes, no nothing" he shrugged reluctantly.

"Keep looking" she told him. They might still find something and it would make this guy useful. He just nodded and walked away to join the other officials on the scene, already searching. She then joined her partner and caught the end of discussion.

"The diffuser created artificial turbulence in the aeration tanks and the swirling action keeps solids from rising to the surface" one of the workers in the overalls explained.

"So that's why the body didn't float" and why it wasn't found first thing this morning, Olivia concluded.

"How long would decomposition take?" Rachel asked, using her voice to let her partner know she was now by her side.

"There's about 10 trillion micro organisms in that sludge. Anything organic they eat. Best guess, about a week" Another worker said, younger than the first, the way he spoke made it sound like he liked his job too much.

"The body's still intact" Benson concluded, again, as she crouched down, her hand instinctually covered her mouth and nose for a moment, the smell of the sewage was even stronger closer to the floor "But I bet the microbes had enough time to eat up all our trace evidence"

"Whoever dumped the victim, really knew their crap" Rachel couldn't help but eye roll at that comment from the officer from before as he walked past.

Q~Q

Office and examination room of ME Melinda Warner  
Tuesday, December 8th

Dr Warner never failed to impress the junior detective. She wished the Narcotics ME had been this efficient. She'd only had the body for a day, but she was about to give them all the answers. The day before, even with Fin and Santana jumping on the case they were at a dead end, they had nothing until they had the ME's report.

They stood in front of the body on the morticians slab. Luckily it was covered, Melinda had everything she needed in pictures. "Judging from the putrefaction of the abdominal cavity I'd say the body went in the water about 36 hours ago" she started with the basics as she lead them across the room to a table where she had any evidence she had collected laying out in the evidence bags.

"So late Saturday night, Really early Sunday morning?" Rachel checked. Melinda and Olivia silently agreed with nods of the head.

"Do you know how he died?" Benson encouraged.

"Blunt force trauma to the head. Sewage water washed away most of our evidence. But I did find this embedded in the victims scalp" she handed Rachel a small evidence bag that had some kind of shrapnel inside it.

Rachel focused her eyes as she analysed, she looked at the pieces, they were colourless but captured the light easily "Glass?" she asked as she handed the sample to her partner for her own look.

"Pyrex." Warner half corrected.

Olivia furrowed her brow "Our murder weapon was CorningWare?"

"Possibly." Melinda agreed before leaving the evidence table then heading over to the light box where the x-rays and photographs were hung.

"We didn't find any glass at the site. He must have been murdered somewhere else." Benson concluded as she put the bag down and followed with her partner to the opposite side of the room.

"He was also sodomised with something that caused severe lacerations to his anus."

Rachel grimaced a little, she remembered the officers 'report' that it looked like something had been shoved up his 'uh, you know'. "Okay, something like what?"

"Won't know until I open him up," she switched the light box on, highlighting the photograph she had pinned up there, of the victims arm "But I found this on his arm," she pointed to the shapes, maybe letters, tattooed onto the skin "body was too bloated from emersion to identify at first, I had to remove 5 layers of epidermis to get a clear look at the ink."

The two detectives scanned the photo of the faded tattoo. "Those look like Greek letters" Rachel voiced her analysis.

"Tau Omega fraternity." She told them, surprising both of them. She then walked over to another table, where she had book sitting open, waiting for them. "I found your John Doe in the fraternity face book. My husband's Alpha Phi Alpha. He keeps his Greek directory right next to his Harry Potter hard covers" She said the last part with an eye rolling tone. Rachel and Olivia both huffed a light humoured laugh as Olivia took the book from the Medical Examiner.

They both read from the book, Olivia aloud, picking out the important parts from the short profile information next to the photograph of the 'Brother' "Okay... Tyler Henry, Treasurer of Pan Hellanic Council"

Melinda just continued to spoon feed them the information they'd been looking for "Ran it through missing persons, one of his house mates, Rob Sweeney, reported him missing yesterday"

Q~Q

Tau Omega Fraternity House  
Wallace University  
Tuesday, December 8

They met with Rob outside his fraternity house, he looked shocked but he didn't break down, almost as if he'd already given up hope when he filed the missing persons report. "I knew something was up when he didn't show up to pong night last Saturday." The floppy haired brunette boy let the detectives in, it was too cold to stand outside at this time of year.

"Rob, do you always call the cops when someone misses a beer bash?" Detective Berry asked first, it already sounded suspicious to her, and Olivia but Olivia wasn't so obvious.

"Tyler was pledge master this year, he'd been planning this since august" He explained with sadness and disbelief in his voice. Then the grief parted to hit him with something else. "Man, what am I going to tell his dad?"

"We'll notify Tyler's parents. Do you know where we could find them?" Benson assured him, hoping to clear some of the worry so he could think clearly for them.

He searched his head for one of the two parent's whereabouts. "They're divorced. His Mom lives in Maine, his dad works in a law firm uptown. I want to tell his dad, he should hear it from a brother"

"Tyler's dad is a Tau Omega?" Rachel asked as she looked around, there were a few brothers cleaning the place, probably from the party they'd had the same night it was calculated Tyler Henry was killed.

The brunette boy just nodded "Class of 74. Pretty cool for an old guy, let me borrow his jag for a job interview in Hartford last week"

"You and Tyler get along?" Olivia assumed more than asked from his previous statement.

"You kidding? We were pals" he sighed.

He led them through the frat house to Tyler's room, imagining they'd want to check that out to find out what happened to his friend. "I guess dad is pretty cool" Rachel commented as she walked into a tech wonderland, the kid had everything, the latest computers, latest sound system, music, movies, games. More than most people could want.

"Not that cool." Rob shrugged "He only paid tuition, he wanted Tyler to learn the value of the dollar." Rachel wanted to roll her eyes at the '_only _paid for tuition' comment.

"So how did Tyler, um, pay for all this?" Berry asked the obvious, her partner seemed to be letting her have more opportunities to speak lately, that or the senior detective was preoccupied with the things she was looking at in the room.

"Doing web design, hosting sites, that kind of crap" he guessed, like he wasn't sure what it was really all about.

"He must be pretty damn good at it" Berry's eyes scanned the desk against the wall near the door, seeing if she could find anything poignant there. It looked clear, so she decided to look elsewhere.

Olivia caught Rachel's eye, they could almost tell what the other was thinking, and it was similar to what they were already thinking themselves "Or he's supplementing his income" Benson then looked to Rob "So how much do you figures in the Pan Hellanic Treasury?"

Rob shrugged again "70, maybe 80 grand" he estimated... then he caught onto what both women were thinking , so he rushed to cut that idea short "he wasn't stealing from the council if that's what you're thinking, he was just good with money, look" he went straight to the computer that was still on, he woke it up and opened a file "it's all right here"

Q~Q

TARU (Technical Assistance Response Unit)

The computer was quickly collected by the TARU analysts and taken back to their lab where they could pull it apart. The two detectives were soon listening to the reports for the techs. "Your victim was many things but he wasn't a thief"

"So where did he get his money?" Berry asked as she wandered round to get a better look of the screen.

"40,000 came via direct deposit from a variety of web retailers" The TARU tech informed her as he loaded the documents showing bank records.

"Well he couldn't have made that much designing websites" Benson scoffed.

"He didn't" The tech bought up a web page full of photo's a pornographic video clips "He made it off his own site"

"The rack menagerie" Olivia read questionably.

"Wet T-shirt contests – girl on girl action – Free streaming video" the tech read the summary, in case either detective hadn't got the idea already.

"He made money on porn" Rachel scoffed, it should have been predictable, a boy in a frat house, follow the clichés of it all and where did it lead.

"Technically no, accessing the video was free the money was coming from advertisers, 40,000 in pop-up banners and ad's last year"

"Don't tell me, ads for hard core porn sites" Benson figured.

"So Tyler would show the viewers free samples and then they'd have to pay for the real deal" Rachel assumed. She wasn't familiar with this in crime, drug dealers didn't tend to use websites.

"Funny thing is he had plenty of the real deal to show" he loaded another page "Here's Tyler's other website, he calls it his free fun house" he played the beginning of a clip.

They watched Tyler up close to the camera, say _"Hi everyone, you're about to see Joanne in action, she's a freshman from Chicago shh"_ he hushed, l before stepping away from the camera and kneeling on the bed. A girl came in in her underwear, she smiled at him before climbing on the bed too and started making out with Tyler on the bed.

"She's not the only one, he's filmed himself having sex with a bunch of different girls. 'Black, Asian, blonde, brunette'," the TARU tech quoted from the screen "He even got one with Pink hair"

"Okay, we're gonna need a list of all the girls and a list of Tyler's advertisers. Starting with locals if you've got them" the senior detective requested.

Q~Q

The 16th Precinct  
Wednesday, December 9th

"How's it been going for you guys?" Rachel asked after she put the phone down on another dead end. The list of advertisers had given them a lot of people to investigate. Fin and Santana had been following one and it had progressed so they'd stuck with it.

"Well after the list you guys got yesterday, we followed one of them, it stood up in comparison to the other 'advertisers'. So we checked out Moose's Pub, 536 Hudson, we talked to the owner, the guy seemed... not sad" Santana tried to explain, she was trying to find the right word to describe his reaction. She looked to Fin, trying to find the answer.

"He didn't sound like he'd be sending flowers for the funeral, but he wasn't happy. He said Tyler made him a load of money with this" he picked up a flyer from his desk and passed it to Benson.

"Ladies night at Moose's pub, Wednesdays, free cover, 2 for 1 drinks for the ladies, $10 per covered gentleman." She read it aloud for Rachel's benefit too. She then furrowed her brow at the last part of information. "Doors close at 11?"

"He said that's when the wet t-shirt contest starts" Santana muttered dryly "Guy said 'Hotties are tanked up by then', guys cheering them on, he said he'd get 3 grand on those nights"

"So, Tyler set this up, then advertised it?" Rachel asked, how else could the guy be that impressed by what Tyler had done for him.

"Yeah by filming the 'contests' and putting them on his site" Tutuola explained further.

"Did you get anything else?" Olivia pushed. They hadn't had much time to catch up on either pair's progress in the case yet, and neither had come across anything completely solid that would let them give up on other leads just yet.

"Yeah, they had some legal trouble, so we had to go talk to Tyler's dad" Santana answered, that had been the second part in the trail she and Fin had been following all day.

"Tutuola might have pissed him off by insinuating things about his son's questionable business, but we got the name of the girl who took them to court. Chloe Spiers" She rolled her eyes as Rachel went to ask the obvious again, and then she cut the shortest detective off "And yeah we found her, talked to her. She said she was angry, the video could have lost her her scholarship. But she plays basket ball for her college, and her alibi checks out, she was at an away game in Phili on Saturday, didn't get back until Sunday afternoon"

"Wow, you guys did a lot in one day" Rachel muttered, hiding the guilt of the lack of legwork she had done today... though she and Olivia had been on top of that the day before.

"Yeah, what did you do?" Santana grumbled, narrowing her eyes at her ex-partner.

"Looked into the other advertisers, there's a few things that might be there but your lead sounds pretty strong" Olivia answered, partially defending her own partner.

"She has an alibi though" Lopez stressed, she hadn't phoned several people this afternoon for them to not listen to her.

"What about a boyfriend, or family member?" berry pointed out, knowing Santana sometimes had a short temper when she'd been working hard and people didn't seem to be listening.

"I've been pulling contacts Fin's been phoning them" she added, her mood weakening

"Yeah, did you get anymore on her dad?" Her partner asked.

"Yeah," she sifted through the mess of papers on her desk, trying to find the page she'd printed "finally got his name and latest address, seems suspicious" she checked it before passing it over to Fin.

"Cool, I'll check this out" he nodded, then read the page, preparing himself before picking up the phone and finding out more about this guy.

"K, I need coffee" she sat up right in her chair and rolled her shoulders trying to stretch a little. She looked at the pot of black liquid, barely worthy of the name 'coffee', and grimaced "Real coffee, I'm heading out, need to stretch my legs" it was late in the afternoon and Fin had gone out to collect their lunch, so she needed some space.

"Is it okay if I tag along?" Rachel asked the team "Just want to get some air"

"Um, sure" Olivia said dismissively, like she was trying to figure out where to go next with the case. Set up a board sounded like a good idea right now, to sort out the suspects and perps and sort the relevant information around the victim from the less important.

"Can I get you anything?" Rachel asked as she shrugged her black leather jacket on. Fin was already on the phone but Santana planned to get him real coffee too.

"Yes, just the usual please" she asked.

"Sure" Rachel nodded before following Santana out of the precinct.

Once they were in the Elevator Rachel had another question on her mind. "What's wrong with you?" she didn't mean it in the way it sounded, she was genuinely asking what was wrong, and she knew something was up with her friend. There were times over the past few months when Santana would be awkward with her, more awkward than usual.

"What do you mean?" Santana muttered as she shoved her hands into her jacket pockets and eyed Rachel suspiciously.

"You've been off with me lately" Rachel shrugged back as she shyly looked at her hands. She was only ever shy when it wasn't work related, and she had a feeling Santana's problem wasn't work related.

Santana let out a long sigh "Just been a long day with a long trail to phone" she managed to say before the elevator opened and they got out, onto the busier, and noisier, first floor of the precinct.

The shorter woman had to jog to catch up as they crossed the office floor, full of people making all sorts of general enquiries "You've been off with me longer than that, try the past 6 or 7 weeks" Rachel accused.

"Have I?" Rachel wasn't stupid, Santana was avoiding eye contact.

"Yeah, you have" she followed Santana outside and had to grab her arm to slow her down, so she didn't just keep avoiding her "What is it?" she pulled Santana round to finally look at her. "Have I upset you? We're best friends you can tell me" She told her best friend. Her words were visible in the air, as her breath hit the cold air of the early December evening.

"... Well" Santana looked ashamed to say, but she couldn't hold back any longer "Britt was saying how... how she wanted to look for a new place." She sighed roughly; this wasn't how she wanted o talk about this, not outside the precinct, on the Manhattan streets. "Just for the two of us. And I-I didn't know what to say, I've been holding back on talking to you and I was hoping it didn't have to happen yet, but she's talking about a 'grown up' relationship and-"

"Santana" Rachel smiled warmly up at her. Silly Santana, Rachel thought, she should have just said.

Santana didn't trust it though, it wouldn't be that easy when and if it finally came to moving, it wouldn't be easy for Rachel... and Santana wasn't sure it would be easy for herself either. "It would be so much easier if you'd just let me tell Brittany why-"

"No." Rachel rushed to stop that thought "And yes" she added.

"What?" Santana just screwed up her face in her confusion.

"No, you can't tell her," Rachel told her adamantly before she softened her tone "and _Yes_ you should start looking for places, and I will too"

"Really?" Santana raised a sceptical brow.

"It's time, actually it's overdue that this happens. So please, start looking" Rachel encouraged. It was time to move on, time to take a chance and change... no matter how scared she was. Quinn's words from a couple of months before just came to her in the moment, and she was right, even if their issues were vastly different, didn't mean she couldn't learn something from Quinn.

"I'm not saying its going to happen soon, anyway." Santana shrugged dismissively "Could take a while to actually find the right place and-"

Rachel just smiled encouragingly again, she gently grasped Santana's arm, getting her to stop rambling... ironically. "Santana, it's okay, I completely understand"

"I'm sorry" she added sadly.

"Don't be" Rachel assured her "It's about time I grew up" that time she was taking Brittany's quoted words, it was true, 7 years was a long time to hold onto something without getting the help to get through and past it.

Santana punched her lightly in the arm "Don't say that"

"No, I've leant on you a lot. No one else ever knew, that's really not fair to you, the least I can do is be completely understanding, which I am." She felt guilty for hanging onto Santana after the initial kindness she had shown, and she worried, still, that Santana only held on still was because she pitied the smaller detective "So you and Britt get apartment hunting, or whatever. And I'll look too and when you're ready to go I will be too"

"Are you sure? Because I could make some excuse up with Britt" she offered sympathetically.

"I really don't want you doing that, I want you happy San, and I haven't exactly been helping with that" Rachel assured her some more. She was thankful, very thankful to Santana and she always would be but she needed to give her some space, it didn't mean they wouldn't still see each other every day and still be best friends.

"Berry, before we were real friends I was stuck with two dead end jobs and a girlfriend I was worried would leave me because I had no future. You got me on a career path and now I work hard and do something that actually makes a difference, something I'm proud of." Santana told her bluntly but with care. "And I know you wouldn't be here if certain things hadn't happened, so I'm not thankful for that happening but I am thankful for your support too, you don't know it but you helped me out a lot."

"Not as much as you helped me." Rachel was sure of that.

Santana just shrugged before saying "You'd be surprised."

Q~Q

"So at the time of the murder our prime suspect was in Phili?" Cragen asked as he was all caught up on the case.

Olivia had set up a board with the crime scene photos and photo's of suspects, along with printed information and notes written with a board marker, notes on small ideas and information that could connect the people.

"Maybe she got somebody to do her dirty work for her?" Olivia re-suggested.

"Or a boyfriend. Fin's checking on the family" Rachel filled in for the detective who was still sat at his desk after making some progress on the information Santana had handed over before she went to get real coffee "What happened to keggers anyway, I mean college kids don't even party anymore, they're too busy making money organising strip shows and selling porn on the web" The shorter detective scoffed at the whole situation.

"We live in perverted times Berry" Santana informed her with sarcastic reluctance. She then narrowed her eyes on her friend "What do you know about partying in college anyway?" Rachel didn't answer, she just dismissively rolled her eyes.

"How many girls pose topless on that website? And how many have had a problem with it? 1, Chloe" Munch stepped forward after getting all caught up on the case himself.

"Just because the others didn't sue didn't mean they were any less exploited" Benson argued, already not sure she was liking where he was going.

He stepped closer to the board, scanning over the other 'victims', on Tylers site, who never came forward to complain "You think all the girls on that site felt violated?" He scoffed.

"Pretty much, yeah" she glared disbelieving at him.

"Oh please. Our culture teaches woman the easiest way to become rich and famous is to objectify themselves." Olivia just held her head in her hands, John Munch was always so forward in his opinions, and not likely to back down. Olivia made a mental note to tell Rachel to never mention conspiracy theories around him, he was a huge nut when it came to the Kennedy Assassination. "Why get a job or an education when you can become the next winner on the bachelor, its the new American dream"

Before Rachel, Santana, or Olivia could even argue with him Tutuola put the phone down and was quickly out of his seat to join them with his latest findings, grabbing something from the printer on the way "Chloe's not the only one with a motive"

"Who else?" Santana was first to ask the obvious.

He pinned a photo next to the one of Chloe. "Chloe's father, he did three years in sing-sing for assault and battery. This guy was collard last week after he busted into Tyler's Fraternity and took a swing at him"

"That sounds like a winner" Liv leant back against the edge of her desk and folded her arms as she absorbed the new info.

"It gets better than that. The man, Bernard, took a job as truck driver when he got out of the pen, spent the last year delivering furniture in a warehouse 4 blocks away from the treatment plant" he added, very pleased with his findings.

Q~Q

"I was making deliveries until midnight" Chloe's farther immediately said as they asked where he was that night. He wore jeans and a jacket, over the jacket was a reflective vest, and he wore a green beanie hat to keep himself just a little warmer in the cold months.

"On a Saturday?" Detective Lopez scoffed "I can't even get Dominos to deliver past 10 pm"

"We pride ourselves on service." He said somewhat sarcastically "What's going on?" he asked as he marched across the delivery lot, from the office hut on one side to his truck on the other.

"That frat kid you tried to beat up last week. Found his body yesterday morning" Tutuola explained quickly. The guy was in a rush, they didn't want him managing to sip away before they'd asked the important questions.

"I had nothing to do with that" he grumbled.

"But you're not sorry he's dead right?" Tutuola pushed, trying to get more from him, maybe rile him up a little. Before he could hear an answer his cell phone rang, he hung back just a little to take the call.

"The kid deserved a good ass whooping, don't mean I killed him" he continued to mumble. If he'd known the kid was gonna wind up dead he wouldn't have bothered last week trying to beat the crap out of him in his frat house.

"I get it, rich punk takes advantage of your little girl, you go to teach him a lesson, it gets out of hand" Lopez searched too, this guy seemed angry but that didn't mean they'd break him easily.

"Nah, you got the wrong guy" he sighed as he reached his truck.

Lopez had more up her sleeved though. "If you ask me, your daughter is a very fortunate girl. She goes to a bar, full of horny guys, does a strip tease, she's lucky nothing worse happened"

He clenched his teeth, and less noticeably, one of his fists "That son of a bitch humiliated her!" Bernard growled.

Fin put the phone back down and rejoined his partner. He had new info, it was time to kick this up a little more. "She knew that camera was there, she knew what she was doing" Tutuola said, and finally the protective father snapped. He went to grab the senior detective but Santana and Fin reacted together and shoved him back, against his own truck.

"Hey, take it easy. We're gonna take a little ride down to the precinct, Medical Examiner's got some evidence she wants to talk to you about" Tutuola said as he pulled out his cuffs

"What evidence?" Bernard asked, with heavy worry.

Q~Q

Melinda Warner's examination room

Shortly after Lopez and Tutuola left, Benson got a call from Dr Warner. She'd finally got results on the evidence found in their victim, Tyler Henry.

"Two kinds of fibres were found in his anal cavity." They stood in front of the light boxes where magnified photos of the fibre had been taken "It took me all day to match samples with anything from our library. Plate A is a strand of hair-"

"Killers?" Rachel may have sounded a little too hopeful.

"Only if he's related to Sea Biscuit" Warner said bluntly. Berry and Benson exchanged worried looks "The hair found in your victim is horse hair, Mongolian stallion to be precise"

Olivia thought about it, and the uses of horse hair "So maybe a sex toy, a whip of a cat of nine tails?"

"Not a bad guess, a lot of floggers are made with horse hair, normally attached to leather though." Melinda had considered everything at first, and a sex toy of that variety sounded more likely in this crime "our horse hair was bound to a rare wood known as pernambuco, exported exclusively from brazil, for the manufacture of violins and violin bows"

"He was sodomised by a violin bow" Rachel asked as she grimaced, mirroring Olivia's reaction. That evidence definitely shouted 'crime of sudden aggression'.

Q~Q

In the end that had nothing to hold Bernard Spiers on, but they told him not to skip town. With how this case was going they might be talking to him again first thing in the morning.

The four main detectives had their heads down at their desks, it had gone 8 pm, and they were still pushing the case.

It was Tutuola who noticed a young woman walking into their office. "One for you Lopez" he told his partner.

"Huh?" She asked unintelligibly. Tutuola gestured with a nod of the head to behind the junior detective, making Santana look over her shoulder. Her confused looked quickly morphed to a smile when she saw her girlfriend approaching "Hey, what are you doing here?"

"My evening class finished and I didn't want to be home alone" She pouted playfully as she wandered closer to the Latina detective.

"And how did you know I'd still be here?" she asked as she playfully pulled the blonde down to sit on her lap.

"Sanny, you've been working on the same case for three days now," she said shyly as she played with her car keys she'd been clutching tightly. She peered up at her girlfriend with shy accusatory "I know how you get. I want you to come home tonight" she pouted just a little, making Santana smile trance like.

She glanced to her other roommate to ask "You okay to get home, Berry?"

Rachel just looked at her strangely. "Uh, yeah, I drove us this morning, remember?"

"Oh yeah" Santana chuckled.

"God, Lopez, you're girlfriend shows up and your mind turns to mush" Rachel teased as she just watched them. It was like Santana could be two people, she could transform when Brittany was around.

"Can you blame me?" she asked rhetorically without even looking away from the woman sitting on her lap

"Go on, get out of here, before we all get sick from your sweetness" Olivia told them, pretending she was more sickened by them than she really was. Really it was just refreshing to see a happy couple.

"We're not sweet, we're hot" Santana corrected as she actually pulled away from her woman so she could get her jacket on and grab her bag so they could actually leave. She really could do with a cuddle... well a cuddle for starters.

"You're sweet Sanny" Brittany told her fondly before kissing the other woman, everyone averted eyes, being polite and not wanting to feel awkward.

"Go now" Rachel encouraged before they just got _really_ embarrassing.

"Fine" she sighed "See you later Berry, and see ya tomorrow Fin, liv"

"Night" and "later" was called back as the two young woman made their escape for the night.

"Well... that never gets old" Tutuola said as he leant back in his seat.

"What?" Rachel asked him, curious.

"Seeing Santana melt in seconds" He huffed his short laugh as he shut down his computer and grabbed his coat off the back of his chair before slipping it on.

"You heading out?" Liv asked lightly.

"Yeah, just giving those two a head start, don't wanna be stuck in the elevator with them" he joked.

"Good point" Olivia just joked back.

"See you all tomorrow" he said before making his own escape.

"See ya" and "Bye" was called out by the two remaining detectives. Rachel wasn't even sure what they were following right now.

"How are they?" Olivia's voice distracted her from her latest wandering case filled thoughts.

"Who?" she asked, oblivious. Olivia looked amused at how quickly Rachel always got lost in their work.

"Santana and Brittany, I hope this job doesn't damage their relationship" she added reluctantly. She'd hate to see their happiness ruined by this.

"I don't think it would, what they've got is strong. Though, I know since we started working here, Santana doesn't go home at least one night a week, because we're working on a case" That hadn't been a common thing when they were working for Narcotics, not that often anyway, but here, the crib, the room with all the bunk beds was commonly used by all members of the team.

"And I know you don't go home as often as I don't" Olivia noted. It wasn't hard to miss that Rachel was here every hour Olivia was "You don't have to be here all the time, you know?"

"I know but, these cases, the victims are more than often still alive and I feel we need to get them closed... I don't like to think of a rape victim who doesn't get closure, and the sooner we can get that for them, the sooner they can get on with their lives" she kept her voice calm, still hiding how she wished she'd had the closure, she wished it all the time. "And you have admiral determination and commitment to the job Olivia, it's inspiring" she hated herself, knowing she sounded like she was kissing ass, but she couldn't help it. If Olivia had known her past it probably wouldn't have sounded so... weird.

Olivia kept shuffling through the paper work. "Is it?" Liv asked, her words and eyes full of questions, questions that only she could ask and answer herself, almost rhetorical questions about what she had done with her life.

Rachel furrowed her brow with worry. "Have I said something wrong?"

"No" she shook her head then rubbed her eyes, tired of the day, tired of many things. She folded her arms on the desk, abandoning all papers for a moment "No, just... sometimes I have regrets, and then I dwell on those regrets and realise, I love my job, it's not the easiest job to love but I do... and then I don't regret as much. But it's still there, all the what if's" she sighed her reluctance that she'd even admitted that.

"What have you got to regret?" maybe it was a stupid question but Rachel still wondered... maybe she'd have the same regrets in a decade or so, unless she changed things.

"Not having a family" she answered simply, doing her best to not get emotional "... all my younger life it was me and my mom and then... when she died, 10 years ago, this job and the people in it became all I had. I don't regret that part, I just regret not looking for the other part of my life, the type Elliot had, but its hard"

"What Elliot has, and what Santana has, is special, and strong. We should all be so lucky" Rachel told her partner lightly. There was sympathy but there was a tone of 'I'm here with you' too.

"You haven't found anyone?" Olivia half asked. She roughly knew there was no one currently in Rachel's life, romantically, but that didn't mean there was the thought, or hope, or past of someone.

"No" she shook her head quickly, then scoffed "I haven't even been on a date in... years"

"Married to the job?" Liv questioned a little more, if that was right then they just had more in common.

"Yeah... kind of" "So... you never even found someone you thought might be..?"

"Well... I haven't had anything long term in a couple of years." She admitted tiredly. It would have been nice if anything had exceeded 3 months but that was probably the record since she'd started the job. "It's when they ask what I do, and I tell them... and they lean away. Or even worse, they lean forward and ask for the details. Either way it ends up being a last date"

"What about the Cap, or Fin, or Munch? I barely know anything about them in that area of their lives" it was sort of an unspoken part of their lives at work.

"Well Fin... he doesn't talk about that part of his life at work. Elliot never talked about work at home. I don't know about the Captain, I heard his wife died years ago, plane crash. And Munch... I think he's given up after 3 or 4 divorces"

"Ouch" she muttered for the divorces, if that wasn't a sting in the heart it sure was in the wallet. "What about dating someone you work with?" she suggested, though she sure it was a dumb one too.

"Well I've dated other cops, but... its the same. They work in Narcotics or Vice or Homicide... they call us sex crimes, they can't imagine what we see, unless they get a case that becomes ours. It just doesn't work... but..." she trailed off, biting the inside of her mouth, wondering if she'd gone too far... it wasn't even something she was sure she'd said to herself.

"But what?" Rachel leant into her desk, closer to hear her partner better.

"I wondered, years ago if maybe there was someone, they always had- no, have this effect on me where..." she took a deep breath and lowered her voice, in case anyone over heard. "At first I thought it was like a sibling affection, the care and worry I'd feel for them... but, I just realised it isn't its more and, we've been through so much together that... once I processed everything, I just realised. But I know it would never work"

Never work? Rachel wondered "Stabler, your old partner?" she pushed.

"No, never, he was my best friend... and the constant _man_ in my life" she said meekly, she'd never felt weak like this before, she'd felt scared before, in her job but not weak.

"Oh..." Rachel furrowed her brow while Olivia just watched her... then she got a thought "_oh_, a woman?" She wasn't called Detective Berry for nothing.

"Maybe" Olivia muttered shyly. It was good to open up though.

"I didn't know you were, um, gay" Rachel muttered back.

Olivia leant across her desk a little more to utter even quieter "Neither did I"

Rachel just nodded, she had nothing against that... in fact... "Interesting" she just said, not sure what else to say, really.

"That's one way of putting it" Olivia chuckled a little "You okay?"

"Yeah, just... why wouldn't it work out?" Rachel pushed. She didn't like to think of unrequited feelings, especially when it concerned her partner who was becoming a good friend, and who had welcomed her to the SVU family.

"It's too late, and she wouldn't be interested" Olivia dismissed, trying to distract herself with the files and the computer in front of her... it wasn't working though. "Stabler and I once crashed a dinner date she was on, with a very handsome lawyer, one who's actually worked against us before, many times. She seemed perfectly happy then"

"Oh... you never know though. You're strong, confident, attractive- sorry," she stopped herself before she just made more of an idiot of herself, "Just... don't want you to give up hope. You never know"

"Thanks Rachel... maybe one day I'll find the courage" she nodded, with a weak smile.

"Benson, Berry" The only other person, from the day shift left, called from his office behind Rachel.

Rachel sat up straighter at the Captains voice "Yes Captain?"

"Go home" he smiled a little at Berry's constant eagerness. It was sure to start grating at some point, but it hadn't yet "Get some sleep, both of you"

"Yes Captain" Rachel said again. Olivia and Donald Cragen, the captain, shared an amused look before his slipped back into his office. The pair started to pack up, making sure to lock files in their desk for security reasons, and shut down their computers too. "Do you think the DA's office will still be open?" Rachel asked casually as she arranged another file away.

"With all the cases going through those offices lately, I'm sure one of our ADA's will still be there. Why, what's up?" The senior partner asked.

"Nothing really, just wanted to check in on Quinn, haven't seen her in a few days and... well, we've become friends again, and she doesn't have this team like I do. I wonder even with Novak and Cabot if she's... alone. So... just wanted to talk" she said hesitantly. With what she'd spoken about recently with various friends, it had got her thinking, and she really wanted to talk to Quinn.

"You could phone ahead" Liv suggested.

"Oh... no, I think I'll just head down there on the way home, drop by, see if she's still there. If any of them are it will be her, she still sounds like she's trying to prove herself" she chuckled.

Q~Q

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Quinn asked as soon as Rachel stepped into the office. It was a pleasant surprise.

"Just wanted to check in on you" the detective noted the stacks of papers flooding Quinn's desk, it reminded her of her own not that long ago "So, you're still playing 'Assistant Assistant'?" she assumed, from the paper work.

She sighed and took her glasses off, so she could look at Rachel properly "Yeah, seems like it, I can feel it though, they keep talking behind my back and I think it's good news, since they liked all the work I completed on the Toure Case"

"That's great then" Rachel smiled as she took chair from in front f one of the other desks and placed it opposite Quinn's

"I hope so, yeah" she agreed meekly. She craved the day she could show what she was really made of in a court house, she just hoped all this dense paper work would pay off.

"Really great that you guys got Toure to go down for what he did" Rachel added, trying to build a conversation before she dove in with her juxtaposed question, that was lurking somewhere in Rachel's vocab.

"I know that case meant a lot to you and Santana" the tired young lawyer said sympathetically.

"Yeah, it did. I mean all the cases are important-" Rachel rushed to correct but it wasn't necessary.

"But that one had history for you" Quinn cut her off, understanding what Rachel meant

"Yeah" the brunette in the leather jacket agreed lightly.

"So... is there anything I can do for you?" Quinn pushed once there was a lull in the already weak conversation.

The nerves suddenly set in, Rachel started twiddling her thumbs to distract herself a little "Actually, I came here because I wanted to ask you something"

"What's wrong?" Quinn furrowed her brow, she even put down the forms she had in her hand to give Rachel her undivided attention... anything for Rachel.

"Nothing really I just wanted to know if you'd like to go to dinner sometime" she tried to sound casual... it didn't really work though.

Quinn just blinked at her, to say she was shocked was an understatement "... I don't understand" she finally voiced confusion.

"I know I shot you down suddenly, but you did bring it on suddenly." Rachel tried to explain but she just felt guilty "But we've become friends again, and the time we've spent together has been really nice... and the more I think about it the more I regret turning you down so quickly... But if I'm not being too forward or presumptuous, maybe we could go on that date" she asked again, softer than before.

"Really?" Quinn had to quirk an eyebrow.

"Yeah..." she said nervously "Unless you found someone else, of course" she rushed, before Quinn could humiliate her by telling her the same thing.

"No, no, there's no one else" the blonde told her quickly "I'd still love to go on a date with you"

"Good" Rachel breathed a sigh of relief.

"Okay" Quinn smiled, hiding that she felt a little unsure about this, and also hiding the stupid grin that Rachel had asked her out on a date. "I'll set it up"

"Well I asked you so I should be taking you on the date" Rachel pointed out.

"Okay, if you're sure" Quinn checked, as she still kept herself in check.

"Yeah, I'm sure" and she was sure inside her head too, so sure. It was time to move on, and Quinn was attractive and wanted her... and she knew Quinn, she trusted Quinn.

"Okay them, um..." The young Lawyer wasn't sure what to say next.

"Can I give you a ride home?" Rachel offered. She also wanted to encourage Quinn to go home, she'd worked hard enough today as it was, she needed some encouragement to go home like Rachel had needed.

"I'd like that, thank you"

* * *

**Let us know what you think... I think...**

**And sorry, noticed the day after I posted I didn't write a section, I left it in note form, sorry fixed now!**


	6. Better

**Thanks for reviewing: docebarbara, covengirlvampire, kutee, Bridge, BonesFABERRY, RVFlorida, Jaely, pierce22, w1cked, TVHollywoodDiva, CrazyTexan, WhatHurtsMeMost **(twice)**, gllover22, baritone1, NZgleek91, waterproof88, iloveDiannaAgron, agirl00z, guest, rm06, Devin Jaste, mika-faberryluver4395, itsmeCELIN, tank-a-roonie, BandGeek4Life2012, General Mac and Guest.**

**The current case is an episode, one picked at random, just put a DVD on and there it was. Other episode cases will come up, but I've picked those to manipulate the storyline deliberately, hope it keeps it interesting :/**

**Posted: 17/11/13**

* * *

Better

The 16th Precinct  
Thursday December, 10th

"I've been checking online. A violin bow like the one used on Tyler cost over three thousand dollars" Rachel told the team. Santana just groaned, her old partner always sounded too perky for first thing in the morning "Bernard Spiers doesn't make that in a month" she told them, and the captain, letting them know she'd already checked that out.

"He could have stolen it" Captain Cragen suggested, not wanting his team to eliminate any suspect just yet "Or it was just handy, did Tyler play the violin?"

"I checked with his dad; nope" Tutuola answered, far simpler.

"Captain." Rachel perked up again "Only one place in the city makes these fancy violin bows, and they sold one last semester to a student at Wallace university. Names Nathan Angeli, he's a pledge at Tau Omega"

"Good work Berry, you and Benson go find him, bring him in for questioning" The Captain ordered. It was a busy start to an early morning.

Q~Q

They got to the Tau Omega frat house, to find a few students lined up outside, standing to attention like soldiers. The two detectives furrowed their brows at one another but approached confidently, none the less. "Gentlemen, we're looking for Nathan Angeli" Benson asked straight out. They didn't move, they were barely swaying in the cold winter breeze... it was eerie. She pulled her badge out from inside her jacket, and showed it to them. She wore hers on a chain round her neck, where as Rachel kept hers clipped to her belt. "Guy's police, Nathan Angeli" she prompted again... still nothing.

"Not a word pledge, eyes front" they recognised the voice and then the face as Rob, the boy who'd reported the victim missing, came out of the frat house the boys were lined up outside. He didn't seem as down as he did the other day when he found out his _dear_ friend was no longer. "Sorry about that it's quiet day, pledges aren't allowed to speak" he explained.

"Make an exception, we need to talk to Nathan Angeli" Rachel ordered, this wasn't time for frat house games.

"Nathan's history, the brothers voted him out last week" Rob told her with a shrug.

"Why?" Benson asked again, starting to get irritated. If they just told them where they could find Nathan everything would be sorted and they could leave.

"What happens during our pledging stays within the fraternity, I can't get into it, sorry" he said with semi reluctance, but there was a rich boy smirk there that Rachel didn't like, one that said he just liked pissing people off.

"Come here" Rachel gestured with a finger wiggle. The boy gave in quite easily. She may have been shorter that him but she knew how to intimidate. She walked away from the frat house with him a little, then threatened; "What I suggest you do is get into it before I arrest you for obstruction, what do you think of that." Olivia overheard and for a moment she could hear a hint of her old partner in her new one.

Rob nodded quickly, finally getting the message, he turned yelled drill sergeant like order "Pledge Patsy, tell the officers why Pledge Nancy was withdrawn." He looked smugly back over his shoulder when the pledge didn't speak up "You may speak pledge patsy."

"Sir, Pledge Nancy's bid was withdrawn because he didn't understand the concepts of unity and bonding, Sir" 'Pledge Patsy' yelled back like a good little soldier. Maybe Rachel didn't get it, it was a frat thing, a brotherhood thing, but she thought this was all so stupid and time wasting.

"What the hell does that mean?" She asked irritated before Olivia could.

Rob liked to shrug, he was doing it again already. "Meaning no one wanted him around if all he was gonna do was whine"

"Where can we find him?" Benson asked the only question that every really needed asking.

"Webster dorm"

Q~Q

After asking a few others they finally found Angeli's room in the dorm. They knocked on the door and waited... it wasn't long before it was opened by a chubby boy with curly floppy blonde hair. "Nathan Angeli?" Olivia asked, not sounding as hopeful, that the trail was over, than she actually felt.

"I'm his roommate" The boy answered sleepily.

Benson poked her head inside the room to get a glimpse, they wanted o search it. "Do you mind if we come in?" The floppy haired blonde boy just stepped out of the way, not seeing the harm, and too sleepy to really know what was going on. "Kinda late to be getting out of bed" Olivia commented lightly, thought it was only just gone 11 am, so for a college student maybe it was early.

"I pulled an all nighter. Nathans not here, I can tell him you came by..." he drifted off as he saw the shorter detective pull a pair of disposable gloves from her pocket and slip them on. She then started poking around, looking behind things, in between things, but barely touching them to do so.

Olivia didn't pull out a glove until she saw something interesting. She slipped the white glove on over her hand before picking up an interesting item off of the desk "Chemistry experiment?" she asked the blonde boy as she presented the bong to him.

The boy cringed, as he froze to the spot "Oh man, you can't tell my parents about that, they'll freak"

"Olivia" Rachel disturbed, only because it was important though. The senior detective turned to her partner to see her putting a violin case on a second desk "Look at this... this yours?" she asked the boy still standing in the open doorway.

"It's Nathans, he used to play, but he quit last month when he started pledging" The boy quickly told them, anything to get their attention off him and the evidence of drug use.

"You mind if we take it with us?" Rachel asked casually.

"Well, um, you can't, it's not mine" he stuttered, he couldn't just let them take his roommates things without permission, right?

"Well I tell you what, how about we take that bong and you?" Rachel suggested, lightly. The Narc cop inside her still wanted to bust him for it, but she had to remind herself she was after a different target this time, and this kid wasn't dealing so she could walk away this time.

"Well-uh, no the violin's cool" he decided quickly, much to the satisfaction of both the detectives.

"Where's your roommate?" Benson asked again. They had the evidence related to the murder weapon, now they just needed the suspect himself.

"He's probably with Alicia this chick, girl- woman," he corrected, not wanting to sound juvenile or offensive in front of the two _female_ detectives "he's been dating."

Q~Q

"Excuse me, we're looking for Alicia Morley" Olivia called out to a girl in a hooded sweatshirt with the hood up. They knew they were on the right corridor.

"I'm Alicia" the girl volunteered easily.

"I'm Detective Benson, this is Detective Berry" Olivia introduced for both of them

"I was just gonna brush my teeth, what's up?" she was keeping rather cool, better than the boy they'd just spoken to.

"Do you know where we can find Nathan Angeli?"

"Is he in trouble?" Alicia asked as she removed her hood, revealing pink hair.

The pair of detectives shared a look before looking back to the girl. They recognised her now, she was in one of Tyler's videos. "Just want to talk to him about a friend of his, Tyler Henry, you know him?"

The girls eyes narrowed a little, her shoulders dropped, she spat her answer. "No" she then turned away and walked back into her dorm room.

Detectives looked to one another again, trying to gauge if they were on the same lines of thinking, before they followed Alicia into her open dorm. "Then how did he end up with a video of you and him having sex?" Olivia asked bluntly.

"Oh my god" the girl cringed "You saw it?"

"Um, yeah" Rachel, said, letting the girl know they'd both seen it... not sure why that was necessary. As Rachel looked around the room she noticed some pictures, photographs on the wall... the place captured in the photo's was familiar.

Alicia huffed and threw her towel and tooth brush onto her bed, "He's a total pervert, I didn't know he was taping us. I dumped his ass as soon as I found out"

"Alicia, did you take these pictures?" Rachel asked suddenly, getting Olivia to look at the photographs too.

She nodded and furrowed her brow "For a class, I'm an eco science major. Why?"

"Does Nathan know about this place?" Benson asked, as she inspected the pictures too. It was definitely the water treatment plant where Tyler's body had been found.

"He drove me there" she explained... then realised what they were getting at, she wasn't as slow as Nathan's roommate "look Nathan had nothing to do with Ty getting killed, he was with me"

"We didn't tell you when Tyler died" Benson pointed out.

"Whenever, he's been with me every second all week" she explained, a little more frantically. Her laptop behind her chimed, getting all their attention. Before Alicia could investigate Olivia was by her side, reading the latest message on the chat room screen.

"_Thought you were meeting me?"_ she read aloud "is this from Nathan?"

"Hey" Alicia tried to close the laptop but Olivia held it open.

"Where were you meeting him?" she asked more forcefully, enough with all these games and winding trails of clues.

The pink haired girl just sighed before reluctantly answering. "Cafe, by the book store"

Q~Q

They quickly located a boy sitting outside the cafe, with a laptop, it must have been him. He had his feet resting up on the chair opposite and headphones on his head so he didn't hear when the detectives approached and Rachel called out "Nathan Angeli." She kicked the chair out from under his feet, getting his attention. Startled, he ripped his headphones off his head "Are you Nathan Angeli?"

"That's me and you are?" he stood up and offered his hand for a hand shake.

"Arresting you. Turn around" Was All Rachel did as she pulled the handcuff off the back of her belt and slapped them round his wrists.

Q~Q

The 16th precinct  
Interrogation room 3

They had Alicia's video with Tyler playing in one of the interrogation rooms, to rile Nathan up. Lopez and Tutuola and been told to interrogate this boy, while Olivia and Rachel were two rooms over talking with Alicia.

"Okay turn it off, I've seen it" He snapped, wanting to smash the TV set on the wheelie stand next to him.

"Where?" Tutuola asked as he paced behind the boy.

"Tyler showed it to the pledges. Me and Alicia were a thing so it was like 'Lets watch a tape of me doing it with Pledge Nancy's girlfriend'" he spat, then held his head in his hands.

"Just to piss you off, huh?" The senior detective pushed.

He looked at Fin, then Lopez who was sat opposite him, her arms folded across her chest as she leant back in her seat. "I was a pledge, making me miserable was his mission in life"

"So Nathan, what did you do to get kicked out of pledge class?"

"Tyler didn't like Pledges who spoke their minds" he sneered "best thing that ever happened anyway, Alicia hated the fraternity" he muttered, concluding that it was no big deal that he'd failed.

"So that's why you killed him, Alicia put you up to it?" Santana suggested, spinning and twisting his words.

Q~Q

The 16th precinct  
Interrogation room 1

"You've got to freakin' kidding me! Ty was a pig but that was no reason to kill him" The girl with the pink hair yelled at the detectives, how could they insinuate such a thing.

Berry stopped pacing and turned on the girl, "So who dumped his body at the water treatment plant, last Saturday night?"

"How should I know, we were at the movies" She explained, her tone aggravated.

"So it was just a coincidence that Tyler ended up at the same facility you'd been researching" Benson scoffed.

"I don't know, I can't explain it"

Q~Q

The 16th precinct  
Interrogation room 3

Lopez opened the file sitting on the table and shoved it forward "How do you explain that?" she asked, gesturing to the photos taken of the microscopic fibres that Dr Warner had found.

He just screwed up his face "What's that?"

"Fibres we found inside Tyler. They match your violin bow" Lopez said, as she made sure to gauge his reaction, seeing as she had a front row seat. This was supposed to be the point that closed the case.

Fin leaned over his shoulder as he accused in an almost threatening way "You shoved that bow so far up your buddy's backside you left wood and horse hair up there"

"That is sick, a-and it wasn't me. My bow is in its case" he explained frantically, the detectives weren't exactly buying it though.

"The fancy one's missing, the cheap replacement one was in the case" Santana cut off whatever new story line he was going to come up with.

They could see it as a new story came to his mind "O-okay so I stepped on the old one and threw it out, I wasn't going to spend 3 grand to replace it"

"You should have replaced your violin strings too." Santana smirked across the table as she saw his face drop a little more, closer to panic, "Your bow left hair residue on them, it matches the hairs we found inside Tyler"

Q~Q

The 16th precinct  
Interrogation room 1

"I didn't kill Tyler" Alicia protested.

"But Nathan did, didn't he?" Bensons asked "Now you better start telling us what happened, or you're both going to jail, you hear me?" she threatened.

Alicia swallowed thickly, she knew she was trapped, no way out. "... It was Will" she muttered reluctantly.

Olivia looked to Rachel as she just asked "Nathans roommate?" The boy known as Will had barely introduced himself when they met him, just calling himself the roommate. It wasn't until they were leaving they'd been sure to get his name.

"He called my place around midnight, he was freaking out and saying he needed to talk to Nathan" she sighed. Game over.

"How did Will know Tyler?"

She furrowed her brow, they were the cops, they seemed to know a lot already, didn't they already know. "He pledged with Nathan but quit last month"

Q~Q

The 16th precinct  
Cragen's Office

Two hours had gone by since Alicia's confession, they'd had officers trying to track down Will, while Fin tried to grill Nathan about his friends whereabouts and Olivia stayed with Alicia, seeing if she could get anything more from her. Though they'd both seemed to clam up now. "Nathans still not giving us anything, you get hold of Will?" Captain Cragen asked Detective Berry as she met with him and Detective Lopez in his office.

"Nobody on campus has seen Will in the last few hours" she reported. She'd been out on the streets trying to get hold of him with the uniformed officers, while Santana had stayed at the precinct and directed officers based on other incoming information. "Not in his room, not in class, not in the library" she added. They'd checked the three most likely places and then some.

"What about Nathan and Alicia's alibi?" Don checked. He was keeping his eye through the one way glass though, through to one of the interrogation rooms his Office shared a wall with. He watched as Nathan remained silent.

"Checks out, the concessions manager at the theatre remembers pink hair" Rachel added, she really had been everywhere in the past couple of hours.

Santana then showed what she'd been up to, too "We've also confirmed a phone call from Will's cell phone to Alicia's room, 12.55 am"

"So Will's our guy" he muttered assumingly.

They were then disturbed by a desk sergeant entering the office "Sorry, captain, but the ER at Belleview just called in on Nathans confiscated Cell, Will gave Nathan as his emergency contact, he just drove his car into a wall"

Q~Q

"Police" Rachel said as she presented her shield at the front desk of the ER. It was unnecessary though, she and Santana spotted a familiar face being wheeled pass on a gurney. Santana only recognised him from the drivers license photo they'd pulled after Alicia had pointed him out. "Excuse me where are you taking him?" Rachel asked, still waving her badge to the attending doctors and nurses pushing the gurney.

"To Surgery, he's ruptured his spleen" The doctor explained quickly, wanting these detectives out of the way.

"Give me one second with him, please" Rachel asked, even Santana wondered if she was going too far right now, the boy wasn't moving. The doctors gave her a second though. "Will, Will can you hear me" the boy blinked and moved head.

"Hey, its the violin cops" he smiled sleepily up at them, then cringed form the pain he could still feel, despite all the pain killers they'd put him on.

"Will, did you kill Tyler?" Rachel asked, but the boy looked like he would just fade into unconsciousness at any second.

Santana asked, it would be faster to shake the information from him. "Will, we know you called Nathan, and we know he went to help you, did you Kill Tyler?"

He groaned in pain a little, his eyes kept shut "... Yeah, I'm sorry" he muttered, before the medical staff had to take him into surgery.

{}=-=

Belleview Hospital, Prison Ward  
Monday December 14th

Judge Arthur Cohen, a heavy and balding man sat in the hospital room in the prison ward. Will Caray the perp, was unable to leave the hospital thanks to his severe injuries. So they were introducing the first part of the trial in the hospital room. The SVU's ADA was present and Caray's Attorney. The Judge started the usual proceedings. "Docket number 101771. People Vs William Caray, 1 count of murder in the second degree. Let the record show that we are at the Belleview Hospital prison ward, where the defendant is recovering from life threatening injuries. How do you plead Mr Caray?"

"Not guilty" The boy protested, rather defiantly, from his hospital bed, where he lay in so many casts and bandages.

The blonde ADA sighed. "The Defendant seems to have forgotten that he confessed to the crime, your honour. His parents are extremely wealthy, he's a significant flight risk, people request remand" Quinn demanded really, it wasn't a request.

Roger Kressler, Caray's Lawyer was straight in there with excuses. "He's looking at 6 months physical therapy in a rehabilitation centre. He is not going anywhere"

Luckily, for the young ADA, the judge wasn't so easily manipulated "Let's make sure of that. Mr Carey will surrender his passport and wear a monitoring device at all times. Bail is set at $200,000. And if there's nothing else, I'd like to get back to my court room"

{}=-=

"So how did it go?" Quinn wasn't surprised when she strolled into the SVU office at the 16th precinct and found her dear aunt and other colleague waiting there, with the collection of detectives and their captain.

"Fine" she sighed "He's had his passport confiscated, and will wear a monitoring device." She sounded a little more satisfied at that, but it wasn't going to be an easy case, as the new information that had come to her in the hospital after the initial hearing. She looked tired so Rachel was quickly out of her seat and offering the chair to her. She smiled carefully as she took it. "Thanks."

"So, nothing else came up?" Novak checked, the senior ADA.

"I can handle this, Casey" she told the woman, trying her best to not eye roll at any insinuation that she couldn't handle this. The new information had thrown her but she could deal with this. "But nothings easy is it. I was barely out of the door when Caray's Attorney was on my heels" she sighed again and rubbed her temples.

"Anyone we know?" Alex asked, trying to scope out the case so that if at any point Quinn wasn't ready, she or Novak could take over.

"Yeah, Roger Kressler" As soon as she shared the name she saw the other ADA's deflate a little "Have you faced him before?"

"Yes, just the usual weasel-y type, will do his best to get his client out of any trouble" Casey told her, but she didn't sound too worried. Kressler wasn't the celebrity type, who'd publicise his cases and make the cops out as the bad guys, so there shouldn't be too many irregular problems.

"Well he was trying to make a deal as soon as we stepped out of Caray's room. He wants man one, and that Caray spends five to seven" Quinn looked at the detectives, captain and ADA's sat at their desks, or on spare chairs, or Rachel who was perched on her own desk next to Quinn.

Santana snorted from her desk diagonally across from where Quinn was sat "Yeah right, with a confession and a pile of evidence, no deal"

"That's exactly what I said" Quinn agreed "But then Kressler comes forward with a whole new story" she sounded sceptical but had to report it, it was important to the case "Apparently Will Caray is the victim, he attempted suicide because he was suffering from rape trauma syndrome"

"He what?" Rachel scoffed first, though they were all thinking it. "Rape trauma syndrome?"

"Since when was Will Caray raped?" Olivia asked the obvious as usual.

"Kressler said that Caray told him in confidence that Tyler Henry sexually assaulted Will when he was making his pledge for Tau Omega" Quinn explained to them all, they had nothing but Kressler's repetition of his clients word but they couldn't dismiss it because there was no evidence. Someone cries rape, they investigate.

Santana creased her brow, "Why didn't Will go to the police?"

"Because he was ashamed and embarrassed, like most rape victims" Fin assumed. Rachel just tried to dismiss the sensitivity she felt for the subject right now. "What happened to him then?"

"Kressler tried to embarrass me by asking if I knew what tea-bagging was" the team around her all grimaced, including the captain, "He then said how Caray told him Tyler Henry made pledges get on their knees so he could rub his testicles across their faces"

"Disgusting, but not rape" Casey pointed out.

Quinn just nodded in agreement, she'd said something similar at the time. That wasn't the worst of it though. "Then he said Tyler sodomised Will with a pledge paddle, and that is rape" Quinn added more bluntly and the room seemed to feel more silence than it had before.

"Can it be proved?" Benson asked.

"We've only got Carey's relayed word, we need to know more" Rachel explained.

"We could have Huang talk to him, borrow him from the FBI again" Olivia suggested. "Captain" she looked to the leader, to see what he thought.

The leader thought about if for only a moment, before he concluded it was the only way forward "Okay, I'll be in touch with him, set something up. I'm not sure how long it will take"

"The trial will take time, it will be a while until Mr Caray is moveable to attend court anyway"

"Okay then, I'll talk to Huang"

...

Before the ADA's left Rachel managed to drag Quinn away for a moment, she pulled her to a quiet corner in the circling corridors and spoke quietly "Are you free this Friday evening?"

"Sure, I think so" Quinn creased her brow before realisation hit her "Oh, our date" she whispered as a smile crept onto her lips.

Rachel bowed her head shyly, for a moment before meeting the young Lawyers eyes again. "Yes, so are you free?" she asked again, wanting a real answer.

"Yes, I'm free... and even if I'm not, I can cancel whatever it is for you" Quinn decided softly, not wanting anyone to overhear, seeing as Rachel didn't want anyone to overhear.

"Good, I'll make the reservations then"

"Okay then" they just stood there smiling at one another, like a pair of idiots., both unsure what to say next.

Luckily they didn't have to, Cabot's voice distracted them. "Quinn?" She looked back over her shoulder to see both of her colleagues waiting by the elevators. She just nodded to them before looking back to the woman she was going to go on a date with.

"I'll see you later" She said softly, again, before leaving.

"See you later" Rachel called after her.

...

Bellevue Hospital  
Prison Ward  
Friday, December 18

"Why do we have to do this? My lawyer already told you what happened." A battered and Bruised Mr Caray said from the confines of his hospital bed.

George Huang, the FBI criminal profiler and forensic analyst stood at the foot of Will Caray's bed. He knew that a lot would be given away in the emotions Will displayed. Even if the boy had trouble opening his eyes, he could still form many faces. "Yes. He said you and Tyler went down to the basement of the frat house where Tyler sodomised you. Did he force you to go down there?"

"No, just grabbed his paddle, and said it was time to make me a man" he spat angrily. He didn't want to revisit the memories trapped inside his mind, torturing him daily.

"He ordered you to take your pants down and quote: 'Assume the position' and you did. Why?" Huang kept his voice smooth and calm, the questions themselves would set the tone of the 'interview'.

Will just sighed, then groaned as he felt some pain. It was amazing he wasn't feeling worse with the extensive injuries he had suffered. "Pledge master says jump, you say how high."

"So you were just going to take whatever punishment he dished out, even if it meant being sodomised with a paddle" Huang continued to push. Will's jaw was set firmly as he reluctantly nodded positive to the statement. "Did you tell him to stop?"

"No" he muttered.

"Why not?"

"I was afraid he'd hurt me worse if I complained" tears started to form in his eye as he revisited the surreal trauma.

"Why didn't you quit?" Huang prompted.

"I didn't want to be a wuss" he spat, but it wasn't as defiant a protest as it had been before. He was starting to break down.

"But you quit later"

"I was sick and tired of his crap, I didn't want to take it anymore" Will was becoming with what felt like an interrogation, more than a therapy type session. He didn't want to share these things, he'd said them once, wasn't that enough.

"Is that why you killed him?"

"I didn't meant to" he began crying now, panic, worry, shame, all setting in "He came over to my place, he started yelling, calling me a quitter, pushing me around, I thought he was going to rape me again so I grabbed a blender and I hit him"

"Will, he was just lying there, why did you sodomise him with a violin bow?" Huang just watched Will fidget and struggle with what happened.

The floppy blonde haired boy returned to his anger, he clenched his teeth, "I wanted to do to him what he did to me"

"Because you were still angry?" Huang, always one to point out the obvious and use it just to flare more emotion from his subjects.

"Yes" the hospital bound student seethed.

"You let him rape you didn't you, Will?"

"Yes"

...

As soon as the Psycho Analyst, Dr Huang, was finished at the hospital he reported back to the SVU team. He met with Captain Cragen, ADA Fabray, and the four Detectives working on the case.

"He's a text book example of rape trauma syndrome. He was raped but, like most victims, he blames himself for not trying harder to stop the attack" The FBI agent reported.

Rachel swallowed thickly, she couldn't relate, this wasn't like her case, she couldn't have fought back. She just had to remind herself that. Maybe she could have prevented it, if she'd taken Quinn's advice, or even plea, for her to take a Taxi- but that was in the past now, it was done with, and it was time to move on. The young headstrong lawyer was a step in the right direction, in finally doing that, Rachel was sure she was ready.

Quinn's voice bought the Detective back to the discussion. "Except Will didn't fight back. All he had to do to stop the alleged rape was quit pledging," Quinn furrowed her brow.

Tutuola could speak from a guys point of view, but not exactly a Fraternity Brotherhood type point of view. "And make himself a social outcast? None of his frat rap buddies would have gone anywhere near him. Doesn't get worse for a scared freshman"

"The initiation is all about making the pledges prove themselves as a man. If you fail you're not a man" George Huang continued his analysis.

"How does shovelling a paddle up anyone's tail pipe prove anything?" Santana asked with less tact. She hadn't not realised how quiet Rachel had fallen... it happened sometimes when they talked at depth about these cases.

"It's about dominance, like a rapist wanting to feel power over a woman" Huang pointed out what the senior Detectives were already familiar with... and one of the Junior Detectives was _too_ familiar with.

"So its the same reason they give the pledges girl names?" Olivia half asked.

"Exactly" Huang agreed.

"Okay, say Tyler did sodomise Will" Quinn conceded at this point. "Where's the paddle? I'm not considering a plea without proof"

"We're going to need warrants, search orders, phone records" The Captain told the young ADA, letting her know what they expected to get their job done.

"You'll have them," she told him confidently, "but find the paddle or a corroborating witness, otherwise I'm inditing Will for murder two" she warned, she couldn't be soft on this case, Will Caray was still a murderer, and word of mouth wasn't good enough.

...

It wasn't Caray's case that kept them late, it was one of the various others. They got new cases daily, small ones and farfetched ones. It kept them busy, except when they were revisiting Caray's case.. It wasn't necessary to stay late, Olivia and Fin had already crawled home once they'd closed one case at about 8 that evening. A woman had been raped, and then a week later there had been a failed rape attempt on her. They'd worked hard, fearing for her safety if the same rapist had come back. They caught him in the end, a scrap of DNA left at the first crime scene and a partial print at the broken window of the second. They tracked him down after a long few days, carrying the leather gloves that had left their own unique print where ever the perp had touched.

The ADA's had had their work cut out on this one too, organising everything in preparation for the initial hearing, and the paperwork to search the perps apartment to ensure their case was solid. That and all the other cases that were being taken to trial had kept them sufficiently busy, spoiling Quinn and Rachel's evening.

"San, you can go" Rachel muttered from her desk. She could see out of the corner of her eye that Santana wasn't actually doing work; she was just waiting for Rachel to finish up. Rachel actually looked at her friend to find the woman now narrowing her eyes at her "What?"

"Berry, it's your birthday, don't you, me and Britts usually get wasted and crawl home at some stupid hour?"

Her birthday wasn't a big deal to her anymore, having a lot of attention on only her wasn't her thing anymore either. She'd be seeing her dads the following week, when she headed home for the holidays, so they'd 'celebrate' with her then. "I know but... just not feeling it tonight, maybe tomorrow or something" besides she needed to phone Quinn and talk about the date they'd missed.

"You sure?" The Latina had been growing increasingly worried about her best friend since they'd started this job... and since they'd spoken about moving on.

"Yeah, go home to be with your woman," she said playfully "I've got a few things to finish here first" they'd driven separately this morning anyway, Rachel had been called in earlier when Olivia got a lead.

Santana switched her computer off and got up, she grabbed her jacket off the back of the seat and clutched it in her hand. "Rach... you don't have to do that you know" she wandered over to Rachel's desk and sat on the edge, looking down at her old partner.

"Do what?" She looked up at Santana, oblivious.

"Separate yourself from us so often." She said like it was obvious, and kept going when Rachel looked like she was about to protest "And don't say you haven't because you've been doing that more often lately, since I told you Britt and me want to find a new place"

"I'm just trying to give you some space" she shrugged defensively.

"Have you even been looking at places?" Santana asked, not aggressively or disgruntled.

Rachel suddenly felt nervous, which didn't happen often, even with all the case talk lately. "I have, but I haven't had a chance to _really_ look, with work-"

Santana just cut her off, she had to confess too. "It's cool, I'm just as bad, Britt keeps showing me places online and I just keep avoiding it"

"Well maybe you should sit down tonight and have a real look at some places, and arrange some real viewings, because otherwise... things could turn bad" she didn't want Santana to lose Brittany on her account.

"Yeah" Santana agreed, glumly. She didn't want it to get to a point where it felt like it was a choice, because it had to be Brittany... but Rachel was like a sister to her now, so it made it hard. If only she could just tell Brittany... but she'd never betray Rachel like that.

"Go home" Rachel said more forcefully. "Look at places to move to with Brittany. And we'll go drinking tomorrow"

"Yeah, okay," she sighed and slipped her jacket on "celebrate you turning 30" she smirked as she turned and made her suave exit.

"29" Rachel corrected bluntly as she just watched Santana walk away. She shook her head, amused, to herself as she went back to work. She still had a call to make too.

Santana was sending a text to her girlfriend on her cell when the elevator doors opened, she didn't notice anyone walking out the elevator, head also down looking at the files in their hand, until they walked into one another, knocking shoulders.

The pair muttered their apologies before looking at one another, "Oh hey Q, what's up?"

"Oh, just some last minute paper work I need to get checked." She gestured to the file in her hand.

She nodded over to the office "Well Berry's still hanging around, she can help you out." She'd already been given freedom, she didn't want to sacrifice it now. She backed into the elevator to ensure she didn't get stuck at work any longer.

"Oh right, thanks. See you later, tell Britt I said hi" The blonde woman called after her as the door started to close.

"Yeah" Santana reached out and caught the elevator door, making them retract again "Bout' that, we should all get together, for a drink, or something. B would like to catch up some more" and Santana would like to really catch up with Quinn too, but they hadn't spent that much time getting reacquainted yet.

"Sure, we'll sort something out, maybe after this case" they were all hoping for a little time off over the holidays, maybe they could get together then.

"Sounds good" Santana nodded "Okay, see ya" she let go of the door.

"See ya" Quinn called back before the doors completely shut. Then she realised she was free, she could relax, the papers in her hand, that could have waited a few days, weren't needed as a cover up anymore.

She knew Rachel was nervous about this, though she wasn't really sure why, but that's why it had become secretive. She had got a call from Rachel shortly before they were supposed to be at some mystery restaurant, having to cancel, because of work. And Quinn completely believed her... mostly. And now that she'd just seen Santana leaving, she really could believe Rachel had cancelled with the truth. She walked into the quiet office space to find just Rachel sitting at her desk, eyes focused on her computer screen, eyebrow furrowed, just how Quinn remembered it doing sometimes.

"Hey" she said softly from the doorway, not wanting to startle the eager worker.

She looked up and the brow un-creased "Hey, I was just about to call you again, what are you doing here?" not that she minded. She'd been preparing herself mentally for the date since she'd confirmed the evening with Quinn, so it had been a huge let down for her that she'd had to cancel.

"Well we missed our reservation" Quinn said as she wandered further into the room. She took a seat on the spare chair next to Rachel's desk, the one victims and witnesses sat in when they were briefly interviewed shortly after arrival at the precinct.

Rachel cringed, worried Quinn thought she was being played "Yeah, I'm sorry about that, it's one case after another and before I know it I should have been home 3 hours again, and-"

"You know its fine, they're my cases too now anyway, and I even have one I have to personally prepare for" she smiled, sympathetically. It hadn't really been a surprise that work had got in their way.

"I know congratulations" Rachel smiled, "How do you feel?" she asked, abandoning the few loose ends she had wanted to tie up before she went home.

She fiddled with the meaningless files in her hand, as a nervous distraction. "Nervous, actually, guess I feel like I'm having to prove myself all over again"

"Well you must have done good so far for them to hand over the reins" Rachel tried to say, encouragingly.

"I guess" Quinn agreed lately.

"So... we missed our reservations" Rachel went back to that point, conveying her true disappointment.

"Yeah..." Quinn bit her lip as she thought about their options. "Reschedule?" she suggested hopefully.

"Yeah, right."Rachel scoffed as she started shuffling papers again. She missed the drop on Quinn's anxious face. "We reschedule and then another case will get in the way" she pointed out.

"Oh... right" Quinn just nodded.

Rachel quickly shut down her computer and locked the papers in her desk. She then roughly pushed back her chair and grabbed her jacket, "Come on."

"What?" Quinn looked at her confused. Rachel just took the file of her and slipped that in her draw before she locked that too, whatever it was Quinn could get it back the next time they were at work, which at this rate meant over the weekend.

She smiled confidently at the confused woman still sat in the spare chair. "I'm taking you out for our date, I promised dinner"

Quinn was almost at a loss for words, "Yeah, but-"

"Unless you changed your mind" Rachel quirked a Quinn like eyebrow.

"You really think I'd change my mind" Quinn just chuckled.

"Okay, good, come on" she offered her hand to Quinn, who quickly took it, so Rachel could encourage her out of the chair, and then out of the office, towards the elevator.

C\_/

"A cop bar?" Quinn said in hushed tones, not wanting anyone to think she was being offensive. "You bought me to a cop bar"

Rachel just smirked a little. This was like home to her, she could be calm and cool, and herself... well this version of herself: 'Detective Berry'. "Don't tell me you feel out of place?"

"No, just... sorry I'm still getting used to the fact you're a cop" the lawyer chuckled lightly. They sat in the corner of the crowded cop bar. Despite the amount of people it was relatively calm. They'd found a small tall top table, and a couple of bar stools, Rachel had got in some drinks and they'd ordered and received their food from the bar.

"That's Detective Berry thank you very much" She corrected playfully.

"Okay then _Detective Berry_," she humoured the other woman, "yell me... how much do you love being called Detective?"

"How much do you love being called Counselor?" Rachel asked right back.

Quinn laughed lightly, "I asked first"

"Honestly... 10 years ago I didn't think I'd be here, but I love being 'Detective Berry'" she replied honesty. The beginning of this path had been rough but the further along she got the better she believed she got, "Just... the job and the title feels so responsible. I mean, back at the beginning when I wanted to join the NYPD my dads they were so disappointed even if they tried not to show it, but they came around."

Quinn scoffed a little, "Your dads were always so supportive, I can't imagine them not being happy if you were happy" she sipped at her usual house white wine, wishing she'd just gone for the beer like every other man and woman in the bar, including her hot date across from her.

"Well I did throw 3 and a half years of NYADA away" Rachel reminded her date and old friend.

"Oh yeah, good point" Quinn muttered. That part wouldn't go down well with any helpful and generous parent.

"I'm paying it off though myself, still, but I love my life, well the majority of it." Rachel defended, she refused to let them continue paying off her college loan like they had while she was still at NYADA, and she'd already paid them back what she owed them. "Just not some of the scum I get to meet"

"I know how you feel" Quinn said lowly.

"Of course you do." Rachel added reluctantly, in the same tone. She quickly got them back to the earlier subject. "So tell me Counselor Fabray, what's it like knowing your return to the court room is just around the corner"

Quinn widened her eyes a little as she thought for a moment "It would feel so much better if this wasn't such a conflicting case" she sighed. She then chuckled, mostly to herself, as she realised something, "... you know, I'd say we should avoid talking about work but..."

"I don't think I have anything I can talk about" Rachel easily finished the thought off for Quinn, she completely agreed.

"Exactly, me neither. My job is my life... except my past and you were there for most of that, seeing all my crazy" she nervously chuckled, hoping Rachel didn't still hate her for that. They'd worked through that past when they'd become friends during their college years... before Quinn ran scared.

"Or all my crazy" Rachel added, lightly, letting Quinn know it was a relaxed and forgiven subject.

"Your crazy was determination," Quinn defended Rachel against her own words. She looked to her glass as she searched her mind for more truths. Telling the truth and getting people to tell the truth was what part of her job was about. She couldn't help that she was such an open book lately. "Mine was... I don't know what, my mom, my dad... Beth... my unrealised feelings... all of the above" she immediately cringed, regretting part of what she said "Sorry I shouldn't say things like that"

"No, it's really flattering" Rachel told her honestly, the more she was around Quinn the more she felt excited nerves, and comfort... similar comfort she remembered from years ago. She also realised the last time she ever felt truly safe had been in Quinn's arms. F she was going to move on, Quinn was the perfect option. This wasn't a game though, or a test, Rachel had already decided she was all in... she just hoped another part of her didn't betray that.

"I am still very surprised you asked" Quinn said after another sip of her drink.

"I was surprised you hadn't moved on" she meant in the short term, though she was surprised in the long term anyway.

"It's not that easy to find someone interested" Quinn tried to play cool with some honesty. She missed out the point that she hadn't been looking that hard as well.

"What about officer Moreno?" Rachel used a teasing tone to hide her detective, investigatory, one.

The blonde adopted a more serious expression, "I don't play with things like that. I went out with her for a couple of weeks, but when you showed up and I was... um, distracted, it wasn't fair to Juliana"

"Juliana?" Rachel furrowed her brow. She already knew who that was, she was just very surprised that that was their name.

"Officer Moreno's first name" Quinn told her plainly.

"Yeah I figured" Rachel nodded.

Quinn couldn't help but smirk and tease, almost flirtatiously, "Those Detective skills at work?"

Rachel couldn't help but grin back, "You bet."

The blonde nodded, liking the confidence in Rachel. "I have one more question"

"Sure?"

"Why did you pick today?" She watched the detective carefully, Rachel wasn't the only one capable of a little interrogation and investigation.

The brunette furrowed her brow, with faux confusion, and shrugged, "It felt like a good day for a date"

"It's your birthday" Quinn accused.

"Oh, is it?" she just felt like shrugging again and took a sip from her glass.

"Like you'd forget" Quinn narrowed her eyes on her date, then raised an eyebrow as a new accusation came to mind, "Like you're best friend, Santana, would forget"

"She didn't" Santana was more interested in Rachel's birthday that she had been, as usual. "And it could have been you, you could have been my best friend" she did warn Quinn. It made her think though, what life might have been like if Quinn hadn't disappeared.

"I was interested in us being more," she smirked again but of course it faded as she regretted the words, "and that scared me," she added, shyly.

Rachel swallowed thickly, an almost excitement bubbling in the pit of her stomach. "And how about now?"

"... This is the nicest date I've been on for a while" she admitted, still shy from her sudden confident words before.

"Why?" Rachel asked, abruptly.

"You know why" Quinn rolled her eyes. Did she really have to spell it out... Rachel looked like she was waiting for an answer. She sighed before reluctantly saying it. "Because it's you."

Rachel looked at her sceptically "Even in this bar, eating fries from a basket?"

"Especially because of that" Quinn told her with a warm smile.

"Oh you're a cheap date, good" Rachel couldn't help but joke.

The young Lawyer quickly cut off every joke. "Don't you dare think you're paying, it's your birthday"

"Quinn" Rachel was about to reason, that she didn't care, and that she'd been the one to take Quinn out.

"Seriously, Rachel, let me pay" Quinn tried softer "I insist"

The detective decided to turn on some of her own confidence, and try to flirt, even if it was a cheap attempt. "How could I say no to such a beautiful woman?"

Quinn's head immediately dropped, she wasn't expecting that. "Well you don't have to be all sarcastic" she muttered.

"Whatever Quinn, you know you're beautiful" Rachel laughed nervously.

She peered up cautiously. Only Rachel could make her feel this weak and shy. "You think I am?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I think that?" The brunette furrowed her brow

"Just... nothing" Quinn shook her head. If she kept questioning Rachel on her reasons for wanting this date, she'd probably just give up on Quinn right now. It was easier to stay quiet... for now.

...

"You didn't have to walk me to the door" Quinn said, still feeling shy, as they got to the front of her apartment building. She hugged her thing coat round her, trying to keep warm. She had no idea how Rachel was just standing there in her jacket, and wasn't even shivering.

"I wanted to, the streets can be rough sometimes, better if you've got a tough detective to escort you" Rachel kept it playful with a little cockiness.

"A _tough_ detective?" She raised that signature eyebrow.

"You bet. I've floored my fair share of perps" the detective nodded, looking pretty smug while she did. I was all in part jest though. They'd had a good evening, they'd flirted a little, even held hands on the table top at one point. And now it was the end of the date... only a first date though, so there were no assumptions, not in Rachel's mind.

"Okay, I'll take your word for it" Quinn held out a hand of surrender in case Rachel wanted to show off.

"Or the next time Santana's around I could do a demo" The brunette suggested jovially.

"Even better" she smiled and chuckled. And now they were just standing there, nothing to talk about... "So I had a great time tonight, even though we missed out reservations, everything worked out great anyway"

"Yeah? You didn't mind the bar"

"No, it was nice." It had been a reminder of how this wasn't going to be like any of Quinn's little fantasies from the past. Rachel wasn't a Broadway Star, she was a damn good Detective, and that job was closer to home for Quinn. "I'll just have to save that little black dress for another night" she tried to tease a little more, and encourage a second date.

"You'd like to do this again?" Rachel checked. She knew she would.

"Of course, if you do" she didn't want to be over eager like she had already in the lead up to the first date.

The detective just nodded. So far so good, Rachel wasn't sure what she'd been worried abaout in the first place. "I'd love to."

"How about I make a reservation for early next week and we'll see if we make that one" Quinn suggested.

"Sure I'd love that"

"Okay then" Quinn nodded... then bit her lip "Goodnight Rachel"

"Good night Quinn"

"Um..." Quinn slowly closed the space between them. Rachel swallowed thickly, her breathing and heart rate quickened when she realised where this was going. Quinn bowed her head as she slipped a hand under Rachel's long brown locks, skimming across her neck before cradling the side of her head. Rachel found her nervous self tilting her head too, to meet her.

As Quinn's lips initially brushed hers Rachel gasped, inhaling sharply through her nose as Quinn pushed a little more. She tensed as Quinn slipped her other arm round Rachel's back. Quinn's lips were so soft, so gentle, as they tenderly caressed her own.

And before their kiss could become that little bit deeper and more intimate, Quinn was pulling away, and releasing her hold on Rachel. "Good night" Quinn muttered again, quickly, with yet another shy smile before she headed towards her door. She unlocked the front door to the apartment block before smiling back at Rachel again, and then she finally slipped inside.

Rachel did her best not to grin like an idiot. But inside she was beaming, that had gone better than she'd expected.

* * *

**Let us know what you think...**

**Sorry! Correction made 10 hours after posting. NZgleek91 pointed it out (thank you!). I left my notes in again -_-**


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